§213.113. Defective rails. — Inbound Citations

(b) Each switch point shall fit its stock rail properly, with the switch stand in either of its closed positions to allow wheels to pass the switch point. Lateral and vertical movement of a stock rail in the switch plates or of a switch plate on a tie shall not adversely affect the fit of the switch point to the stock rail. Broken or cracked switch point rails will be subject to the requirements of § 213.113, except that where remedial actions C, D, or E require the use of joint bars, and joint bars cannot be placed due to the physical configuration of the switch, remedial action B will govern, taking into account any added safety provided by the presence of reinforcing bars on the switch points.

(a) Track owners may elect to use continuous rail testing to satisfy the requirements for conducting internal rail inspections under § 213.237 or § 213.339. When a track owner utilizes the continuous rail test inspection process under the requirements of this section, the track owner is exempt from the requirements of § 213.113(b); all other requirements of § 213.113 apply.

(3) Location and type of defects found under § 213.113;

(4) A suspect location is not considered a defect under § 213.113(c) until it has been field-verified by a person qualified under § 213.238. After the suspect location is field-verified and determined to be a defect, the track owner must immediately perform all required remedial actions prescribed in § 213.113(a).

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section and §§ 213.57(b), 213.59(a), 213.113(a), and 213.137(b) and (c), the following maximum allowable operating speeds apply—

(a) Track owners may elect to use continuous rail testing to satisfy the requirements for conducting internal rail inspections under § 213.237 or § 213.339. When a track owner utilizes the continuous rail test inspection process under the requirements of this section, the track owner is exempt from the requirements of § 213.113(b); all other requirements of § 213.113 apply.

(e) At a minimum, the continuous rail test process must produce a report containing a systematic listing of all suspected locations that may contain any of the defects listed in the table in § 213.113(c), identified so that a person qualified under § 213.238 can accurately locate and field-verify each suspected defect.

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (e)(6) of this section, and subject to the requirements of paragraphs (e)(2) and (3) of this section, if the continuous rail test inspection vehicle indicates a suspect location, field verification must be conducted within 84 hours of the indication of the suspect location.

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (e)(6) of this section, and subject to the requirements of paragraph (e)(3) of this section, if the continuous rail test inspection vehicle indicates a suspect location containing a suspected defect that, if verified, requires remedial action A, A2, or B identified in the table contained in § 213.113(c), the track owner must field-verify the suspect location no more than 36 hours from indication of the suspect location.

(3) If the continuous rail test inspection vehicle indicates a broken rail with rail separation, the track owner must have procedures to ensure that adequate protection is immediately implemented.

(4) A suspect location is not considered a defect under § 213.113(c) until it has been field-verified by a person qualified under § 213.238. After the suspect location is field-verified and determined to be a defect, the track owner must immediately perform all required remedial actions prescribed in § 213.113(a).

(5) Any suspected location not field-verified within the time required under paragraphs (e)(1) and (2) of this section must be protected by applying the most restrictive remedial action under § 213.113(c) for the suspected type and size of the suspected defect. The remedial action must be applied over a sufficient segment of track to assure coverage of the suspected defect location until field-verified.

(6) A continuous rail test that is not conducted to satisfy the requirements for an internal rail inspection under § 213.237 or § 213.339, and has been properly designated and recorded by the track owner under paragraph (c) of this section, is exempt from the requirements of paragraphs (e)(1), (2), and (5) of this section.