This subpart prescribes minimum requirements governing protection of camp cars that house railroad employees. The rule does not apply to such cars while they are in a train.

(a) Warning signals, i.e., a white disk with the words “Occupied Camp Car” in black lettering during daylight hours and an illuminated white signal at night, displayed in accordance with § 218.75, § 218.77, or § 218.79 signify that employees are in, around, or in the vicinity of camp cars. Once the signals have been displayed—

(1) The camp cars may not be moved for coupling to other rolling equipment or moved to another location;

(2) Rolling equipment may not be placed on the same track so as to reduce or block the view of a warning signal; and

(3) Rolling equipment may not pass a warning signal.

(b) Warning signals indicating the presence of occupied camp cars, displayed in accordance with §§ 218.75 and 218.79, shall be displayed by a designated occupant of the camp cars or that person's immediate supervisor. The signal(s) shall be displayed as soon as such cars are placed on the track, and such signals may only be removed by those same individuals prior to the time the cars are moved to another location.

When camp cars requiring protection are on either main track or track other than main track:

(a) A warning signal shall be displayed at or near each switch providing access to that track;

(b) The person in charge of the camp car occupants shall immediately notify the person responsible for directing train movements on that portion of the railroad where the camp cars are being parked;

(c) Once notified of the presence of camp cars and their location on main track or other than main track, the person responsible for directing train movements on that portion of the railroad where the camp cars are being parked shall take appropriate action to alert affected personnel to the presence of the cars;

(d) Each manually operating switch providing access to track on which the camp cars are located shall be lined against movement to that track and secured with an effective locking device and spiked; and

(e) Each remotely controlled switch providing access to the track on which the camp cars are located shall be protected in accordance with § 218.77.

(a) After the operator of the remotely controlled switch is notified that a camp car is to be placed on a particular track, he shall line such switch against movement to that track and apply an effective locking device applied to the lever, button, or other device controlling the switch before informing the person in charge of the camp car occupants that protection has been provided.

(b) The operator may not remove the locking device until informed by the person in charge of the camp car occupants that protection is no longer required.

(c) The operator shall maintain for 15 days a written record of each notification that contains the following information:

(1) The name and craft of the employee in charge who provided the notification;

(2) The number or other designation of the track involved;

(3) The date and time the operator notified the employee in charge that protection had been provided in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section; and

(4) The date and time the operator was informed that the work had been completed, and the name and craft of the employee in charge who provided this information.

(d) When occupied camp cars are parked on main track, a derail, capable of restricting access to that portion of the track on which such equipment is located, shall be positioned no less than 150 feet from the end of such equipment and locked in a derailing position with an effective locking device, and a warning signal must be displayed at the derail.

Instead of providing protection for occupied camp cars in accordance with § 218.75 or § 218.77, the following methods of protection may be used:

(a) When occupied camp cars are on track other than main track:

(1) A warning signal must be displayed at or near each switch providing access to or from the track;

(2) Each switch providing entrance to or departure from the area must be lined against movement to the track and locked with an effective locking device; and

(3) If the speed within this area is restricted to not more than five miles per hour, a derail, capable of restricting access to that portion of track on which the camp cars are located, will fulfill the requirements of a manually operated switch in compliance with paragraph (a)(2) of this section when positioned at least 50 feet from the end of the camp cars to be protected by the warning signal, when locked in a derailing position with an effective locking device, and when a warning signal is displayed at the derail.

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (a) of this section, when occupied camp cars are on track other than main track:

(1) A derail, capable of restricting access to that portion of the track on which such equipment is located, will fulfill the requirements of a manually operated switch when positioned no less than 150 feet from the end of such equipment; and

(2) Each derail must be locked in a derailing position with an effective locking device and a warning signal must be displayed at each derail.

Occupied cars may not be humped or flat switched unless coupled to a locomotive.