Collapse to view only § 213.63 - Track surface.
- § 213.51 - Scope.
- § 213.53 - Gage.
- § 213.55 - Track alinement.
- § 213.57 - Curves; elevation and speed limitations.
- § 213.59 - Elevation of curved track; runoff.
- § 213.63 - Track surface.
- § 213.65 - Combined track alinement and surface deviations.
§ 213.51 - Scope.
This subpart prescribes requirements for the gage, alinement, and surface of track, and the elevation of outer rails and speed limitations for curved track.
§ 213.53 - Gage.
(a) Gage is measured between the heads of the rails at right-angles to the rails in a plane five-eighths of an inch below the top of the rail head.
(b) Gage shall be within the limits prescribed in the following table—
| Class of track | The gage must be at least— | But not more than— | Excepted track | N/A | 4′10 1/4″. | Class 1 track | 4′8″ | 4′10″. | Class 2 and 3 track | 4′8″ | 4′9 3/4″. | Class 4 and 5 track | 4′8″ | 4′9 1/2″. |
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§ 213.55 - Track alinement.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, alinement may not deviate from uniformity more than the amount prescribed in the following table:
| Class of track | Tangent track | Curved track | The deviation of the mid-offset from a 62-foot line 1 may not be more than—(inches) | The deviation of the mid-ordinate from a 31-foot chord 2 may not be more than—(inches) | The deviation of the mid-ordinate from a 62-foot chord 2 may not be more than—(inches) | Class 1 track | 5 | 3 N/A | 5 | Class 2 track | 3 | 3 N/A | 3 | Class 3 track | 1 3/4 | 1 1/4 | 1 3/4 | Class 4 track | 1 1/2 | 1 | 1 1/2 | Class 5 track | 3/4 | 1/2 | 5/8 |
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1 The ends of the line shall be at points on the gage side of the line rail, five-eighths of an inch below the top of the railhead. Either rail may be used as the line rail; however, the same rail shall be used for the full length of that tangential segment of the track.
2 The ends of the chord shall be at points on the gage side of the outer rail, five-eighths of an inch below the top of the railhead.
3 N/A—Not Applicable
(b) For operations at a qualified cant deficiency, E
| Class of track | Curved track | The deviation of the mid-ordinate from a 31-foot chord 1 may not be more than—(inches) | The deviation of the mid-ordinate from a 62-foot chord 1 may not be more than—(inches) | Class 1 track 2 | 3 N/A | 1 1/4 | Class 2 track 2 | 3 N/A | 1 1/4 | Class 3 track | 3/4 | 1 1/4 | Class 4 track | 3/4 | 7/8 | Class 5 track | 1/2 | 5/8 |
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1 The ends of the chord shall be at points on the gage side of the outer rail, five-eighths of an inch below the top of the railhead.
2 Restraining rails or other systems may be required for derailment prevention.
3 N/A—Not Applicable
§ 213.57 - Curves; elevation and speed limitations.
(a) The maximum elevation of the outside rail of a curve may not be more than 8 inches on track Classes 1 and 2, and 7 inches on track Classes 3 through 5. The outside rail of a curve may not be lower than the inside rail by design, except when engineered to address specific track or operating conditions; the limits in § 213.63 apply in all cases.
(b) The maximum allowable posted timetable operating speed for each curve is determined by the following formula—
Where—1 Actual elevation, E
2 If the actual elevation, E
D = Degree of curvature (degrees).
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3 Degree of curvature, D, is determined by averaging the degree of curvature over the same track segment as the elevation.
(c) All vehicles are considered qualified for operating on track with a cant deficiency, E
(d) Each vehicle type must be approved by FRA to operate on track with a qualified cant deficiency, E
(1) When positioned on a track with a uniform superelevation equal to the proposed cant deficiency:
(i) No wheel of the vehicle type unloads to a value less than 60 percent of its static value on perfectly level track; and
(ii) For passenger cars, the roll angle between the floor of the equipment and the horizontal does not exceed 8.6 degrees; or
(2) When operating through a constant radius curve at a constant speed corresponding to the proposed cant deficiency, and a test plan is submitted to and approved by FRA in accordance with § 213.345(e) and (f):
(i) The steady-state (average) load on any wheel, throughout the body of the curve, is not less than 60 percent of its static value on perfectly level track; and
(ii) For passenger cars, the steady-state (average) lateral acceleration measured on the floor of the carbody does not exceed 0.15g.
(e) The track owner or railroad shall transmit the results of the testing specified in paragraph (d) of this section to FRA's Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety/Chief Safety Officer (FRA) requesting approval for the vehicle type to operate at the desired curving speeds allowed under the formula in paragraph (b) of this section. The request shall be made in writing and contain, at a minimum, the following information—
(1) A description of the vehicle type involved, including schematic diagrams of the suspension system(s) and the estimated location of the center of gravity above top of rail;
(2) The test procedure,
4
4 The test procedure may be conducted whereby all the wheels on one side (right or left) of the vehicle are raised to the proposed cant deficiency, the vertical wheel loads under each wheel are measured, and a level is used to record the angle through which the floor of the vehicle has been rotated.
(3) For vehicle types not subject to parts 229 or 238 of this chapter, procedures or standards in effect that relate to the maintenance of all safety-critical components of the suspension system(s) for the particular vehicle type. Safety-critical components of the suspension system are those that impact or have significant influence on the roll of the carbody and the distribution of weight on the wheels.
(f) In approving the request made pursuant to paragraph (e) of this section, FRA may impose conditions necessary for safely operating at the higher curving speeds. Upon FRA approval of the request, the track owner or railroad shall notify FRA in writing no less than 30 calendar days prior to the proposed implementation of the approved higher curving speeds allowed under the formula in paragraph (b) of this section. The notification shall contain, at a minimum, identification of the track segment(s) on which the higher curving speeds are to be implemented.
(g) The documents required by this section must be provided to FRA by:
(1) The track owner; or
(2) A railroad that provides service with the same vehicle type over trackage of one or more track owner(s), with the written consent of each affected track owner.
(h)(1) Vehicle types permitted by FRA to operate at cant deficiencies, E
(2) Vehicle types permitted by FRA to operate at cant deficiencies, E
(i) For vehicle types intended to operate at any curving speed producing more than 5 inches of cant deficiency, the following provisions of subpart G of this part shall apply: §§ 213.333(a) through (g), (j)(1), (k) and (m), 213.345, and 213.369(f).
(j) As used in this section—
(1) Vehicle means a locomotive, as defined in § 229.5 of this chapter; a freight car, as defined in § 215.5 of this chapter; a passenger car, as defined in § 238.5 of this chapter; and any rail rolling equipment used in a train with either a freight car or a passenger car.
(2) Vehicle type means like vehicles with variations in their physical properties, such as suspension, mass, interior arrangements, and dimensions that do not result in significant changes to their dynamic characteristics.
§ 213.59 - Elevation of curved track; runoff.
(a) If a curve is elevated, the full elevation shall be provided throughout the curve, unless physical conditions do not permit. If elevation runoff occurs in a curve, the actual minimum elevation shall be used in computing the maximum allowable posted timetable operating speed for that curve under § 213.57(b).
(b) Elevation runoff shall be at a uniform rate, within the limits of track surface deviation prescribed in § 213.63, and it shall 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.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, each track owner shall maintain the surface of its track within the limits prescribed in the following table:
| Track surface (inches) | Class of track | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | The runoff in any 31 feet of rail at the end of a raise may not be more than | 3 1/2 | 3 | 2 | 1 1/2 | 1 | The deviation from uniform profile on either rail at the mid-ordinate of a 62-foot chord may not be more than | 3 | 2 3/4 | 2 1/4 | 2 | 1 1/4 | The deviation from zero crosslevel at any point on tangent or reverse crosslevel elevation on curves may not be more than | 3 | 2 | 1 3/4 | 1 1/4 | 1 | The difference in crosslevel between any two points less than 62 feet apart may not be more than * 1 2 | 3 | 2 1/4 | 2 | 1 3/4 | 1 1/2 | *Where determined by engineering decision prior to June 22, 1998, due to physical restrictions on spiral length and operating practices and experience, the variation in crosslevel on spirals per 31 feet may not be more than | 2 | 1 3/4 | 1 1/4 | 1 | 3/4 |
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1 Except as limited by § 213.57(a), where the elevation at any point in a curve equals or exceeds 6 inches, the difference in crosslevel within 62 feet between that point and a point with greater elevation may not be more than 1 1/2 inches.
2 However, to control harmonics on Class 2 through 5 jointed track with staggered joints, the crosslevel differences shall not exceed 1 1/4 inches in all of six consecutive pairs of joints, as created by seven low joints. Track with joints staggered less than 10 feet apart shall not be considered as having staggered joints. Joints within the seven low joints outside of the regular joint spacing shall not be considered as joints for purposes of this footnote.
(b) For operations at a qualified cant deficiency, E
| Track surface (inches) | Class of track | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | The deviation from uniform profile on either rail at the mid-ordinate of a 31-foot chord may not be more than | N/A 1 | N/A 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | The deviation from uniform profile on either rail at the mid-ordinate of a 62-foot chord may not be more than | 2 1/4 | 2 1/4 | 1 3/4 | 1 1/4 | 1 | The difference in crosslevel between any two points less than 10 feet apart (short warp) shall not be more than | 2 | 2 | 1 3/4 | 1 3/4 | 1 1/2 |
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1 N/A—Not Applicable.
§ 213.65 - Combined track alinement and surface deviations.
On any curved track where operations are conducted at a qualified cant deficiency, E
Where—
