from any or all requirements prescribed in this part. (b) Each petition for exemption under this section must be filed in the manner and contain the information required by §§ 211.7 and 211.9 of this chapter. (c) If the Administrator finds that an exemption is in the public interest and is consistent with railroad safety, he may grant the exemption subject to any conditions he deems necessary. Notice of each exemption granted is published in the FEDERAL REGISTER together with a statement of the reasons therefor. [36 FR 20336, Oct. 20, 1971, as amended at 48 FR 35883, Aug. 8, 1983] Subpart B-Roadbed § 213.31 Scope. This subpart prescribes minimum requirements for roadbed and areas immediately adjacent to roadbed. § 213.33 Drainage. Each drainage or other water carrying facility under or immediately adjacent to the roadbed must be maintained and kept free of obstruction, to accommodate expected water flow for the area concerned. § 213.37 Vegetation. Vegetation on railroad property which is on or immediately adjacent to roadbed must be controlled so that it does not (a) Become a fire hazard to trackcarrying structures; (b) Obstruct visibility of railroad signs and signals; (c) Interfere with railroad employees performing normal trackside duties; (d) Prevent proper functioning of signal and communication lines; or (e) Prevent railroad employees from visually inspecting moving equipment from their normal duty stations. Subpart C-Track Geometry 8 213.51 Scope. This subpart prescribes requirements for the gage, alinement, and surface of track, and the elevation of where Vmax=V(Ea+3)/0.0007d Vmax=Maximum allowable operating speed (miles per hour). Ea=Actual elevation of the outside rail (inches). d=Degree of curvature (degrees). Appendix A is a table of maximum allowable operating speed computed in accordance with this formula for various elevations and degrees of curvature. § 213.59 Elevation of curved track; runoff. (a) If a curve is elevated, the full elevation must be provided throughout the curve, unless physical conditions do not permit. If elevation runoff occurs in a curve, the actual minimum elevation must be used in computing the maximum allowable operating speed for that curve under § 213.57(b). (b) Elevation runoff must be at a uniform rate, within the limits of track surface deviation prescribed in § 213.63, and it must extend at least the full length of the spirals. If physical conditions do not permit a spiral long enough to accommodate the minimum length of runoff, part of the runoff may be on tangent track. § 213.63 Track surface. Each owner of the track to which this part applies shall maintain the surface of its track within the limits prescribed in the following table: This subpart prescribes minimum requirements for ballast, crossties, track assembly fittings, and the physical condition of rails. § 213.103 Ballast; general. Unless it is otherwise structurally supported, all track must be supported by material which will— (a) Transmit and distribute the load of the track and railroad rolling equipment to the subgrade; (b) Restrain the track laterally, longitudinally, and vertically under dynamic loads imposed by railroad rolling equipment and thermal stress exerted by the rails; (c) Provide adequate drainage for the track; and (d) Maintain proper track crosslevel, surface, and alinement. (a) Crossties shall be made of a material to which rail can be securely fastened. (b) Each 39 foot segment of track shall have: (1) A sufficient number of crossties which in combination provide effective support that will: (i) Hold gage within the limits prescribed in § 213.53(b); (ii) Maintain surface within the limits prescribed in § 213.63; and (iii) Maintain alignment within the limits prescribed in § 213.55. (2) The minimum number and type of crossties specified in paragraph (c) of this section effectively distributed to support the entire segment; and (3) At least one crosstie of the type specified in paragraph (c) of this section that is located at a joint location as specified in paragraph (d) of this section. (c) Each 39 foot segment of: Class 1 track shall have five crossties; Classes 2 and 3 track shall have eight crossties; Classes 4 and 5 track shall have 12 crossties; and Class 6 track shall have 14 crossties, which are not: (1) Broken through; (2) Split or otherwise impaired to the extent the crossties will allow the ballast to work through, or will not hold spikes or rail fasteners; (3) So deteriorated that the tie plate or base of rail can move laterally more than 1⁄2 inch relative to the crossties; or (4) Cut by the tie plate through more than 40 percent of a tie's thick ness. (d) Class 1 and Class 2 track shall have one crosstie whose centerline is within 24 inches of the rail joint location, and Classes 3 through 6 track shall have one crosstie whose centerline is within 18 inches of the rail joint location. The relative position of these ties is described in the following table. Each rail joint in Classes 1 and 2 track shall be supported by at least one crosstie specified in paragraph (c) of this section whose centerline is within the 48" shown above. 73-182 0-86--3 A. Assigned person designated under § 213.7 to visually supervise each operation over defective rail. B. Limit operating speed over defective rail to that as authorized by a person designated under § 213.7(a), who has at least one year of supervisory experience in railroad track maintenance. C. Apply joint bars bolted only through the outermost holes to defect within 20 days after it is determined to continue the track in use. In the case of Classes 3 through 6 track, limit operating speed over defective rail to 30 mph until angle bars are applied; thereafter limit speed to 60 mph or the maximum allowable speed under § 213.9 for the class of track concerned, whichever is lower. D. Apply joint bars bolted only through the outermost holes to defect within 10 days after it is determined to continue the track in use. In the case of Classes 3 through 6 track, limit operating speed over the defective rail to 30 mph or less as authorized by a person designated under § 213.7(a), who has at least one year of supervisory experience in railroad track maintenance, until angle bars are applied; thereafter, limit speed to 60 mph or the maximum allowable speed under § 213.9 for the class of track concerned, whichever is lower. E. Apply joint bars to defect and bolt in accordance with § 213.121 (d) and (e). F. Inspect rail 90 days after it is determined to continue the track in use. G. Inspect rail 30 days after it is determined to continue the track in use. H. Limit operating speed over defective rail to 60 mph or the maximum allowable speed under § 213.9 for the class of track concerned, whichever is lower. 1. Limit operating speed over defective rail to 30 mph or the maximum allowable speed under § 213.9 for the class of track concerned, whichever is lower. (b) As used in this section (1) "Transverse Fissure" means a progressive crosswise fracture starting from a crystalline center or nucleus inside the head from which it spreads outward as a smooth, bright, or dark, round or oval surface substantially at a right angle to the length of the rail. The distinguishing features of a transverse fissure from other types of fractures or defects are the crystalline center or nucleus and the nearly smooth surface of the development which surrounds it. (2) "Compound Fissure" means a progressive fracture originating in a horizontal split head which turns up or down in the head of the rail as a smooth, bright, or dark surface progressing until substantially at a right angle to the length of the rail. Compound fissures require examination of both faces of the fracture to locate the horizontal split head from which they originate. (3) "Horizontal Split Head" means a horizontal progressive defect originating inside of the rail head, usually onequarter inch or more below the running surface and progressing horizontally in all directions, and generally accompanied by a flat spot on the running surface. The defect appears as a crack lengthwise of the rail when it reaches the side of the rail head. (4) "Vertical Split Head" means a vertical split through or near the middle of the head, and extending into or through it. A crack or rust streak may show under the head close to the web or pieces may be split off the side of the head. (5) "Split Web" means a lengthwise crack along the side of the web and extending into or through it. (6) "Piped Rail" means a vertical split in a rail, usually in the web, due to failure of the shrinkage cavity in the ingot to unite in rolling. (7) "Broken Base" means any break in the base of a rail. (8) "Detail Fracture" means a progressive fracture originating at or near the surface of the rail head. These fractures should not be confused with transverse fissures, compound fissures, or other defects which have internal origins. Detail fractures may arise from shelly spots, head checks, or flaking. (9) "Engine Burn Fracture" means a progressive fracture originating in spots where driving wheels have slipped on top of the rail head. In developing downward they frequently resemble the compound or even transverse fissures with which they should not be confused or classified. (10) "Ordinary Break” means a partial or complete break in which there is no sign of a fissure, and in which (a) Each rail joint, insulated joint, and compromise joint must be of the proper design and dimensions for the rail on which it is applied. (b) If a joint bar on classes 3 through 6 track is cracked, broken, or because of wear allows vertical movement of either rail when all bolts are tight, it must be replaced. (c) If a joint bar is cracked or broken between the middle two bolt holes it must be replaced. (d) In the case of conventional jointed track, each rail must be bolted with at least two bolts at each joint in classes 2 through 6 track, and with at least one bolt in class 1 track. (e) In the case of continuous welded rail track, each rail must be bolted with at least two bolts at each joint. (f) Each joint bar must be held in position by track bolts tightened to allow the joint bar to firmly support the abutting rail ends and to allow longitudinal movement of the rail in the joint to accommodate expansion and contraction due to temperature variations. When out-of-face, no-slip, joint-to-rail contact exists by design, the requirements of this paragraph do not apply. Those locations are consid |