§231.18. Cars of special construction. — Inbound Citations

(d) A railroad or a railroad's recognized representative may submit a request for special approval of alternative compliance pursuant to § 238.21 relating to the safety appliance arrangements on any passenger car considered a car of special construction under § 231.18 of this chapter. Any such petition shall be in the form of an industry-wide standard and at a minimum shall:

(1) Identify the type(s) of car to which the standard would be applicable;

(2) As nearly as possible, based upon the design of the equipment, ensure that the standard provides for the same complement of handholds, sill steps, ladders, hand or parking brakes, running boards, and other safety appliances as are required for a piece of equipment of the nearest approximate type already identified in part 231 of this chapter;

(3) Comply with all statutory requirements relating to safety appliances contained at 49 U.S.C. 20301 and 20302;

(4) Specifically address the number, dimension, location, and manner of application of each safety appliance contained in the standard;

(5) Provide specific analysis regarding why and how the standard was developed and specifically discuss the need or benefit of the safety appliance arrangement contained in the standard;

(6) Include drawings, sketches, or other visual aids that provide detailed information relating to the design, location, placement, and attachment of the safety appliances; and