§ 232.209 - Class II brake tests - intermediate inspection.

§ 232.209 Class II brake tests - intermediate inspection.

(a) At a location other than the initial terminal of a train, a Class II brake test shall must be performed by a qualified person, as defined in § 232.5, on the following equipment when added to a train:

(1) Each car or solid block of cars, as defined in § 232.5, that has not previously received a Class I brake test or that has been off-air for more than four 24 hours;

(2) Each solid block of cars, as defined in § 232.5, that is comprised of cars from more than one previous train; and

(3) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(4) of this section, each solid block of cars that is comprised of cars from only one previous train, the cars of which have not remained continuously and consecutively coupled together with the train line remaining connected since being removed from the previous train. A solid block of cars is considered to have remained continuously and consecutively coupled together with the train line remaining connected since being removed from the previous train if it has been changed only by removing defective equipment.

(4) Each solid block of cars that is comprised of cars from a single previous train, the cars of which were required to be separated into multiple solid blocks of cars due to space or trackage constraints at a particular location when removed from the previous train, if they are not added in the same relative order as when removed from the previous train or if the cars in each of the multiple blocks of cars have not remained continuously and consecutively coupled together with the train line remaining connected, except for the removal of defective equipment.

(b) A Class II brake test shall consist of the following tasks and requirements:

(1) Brake pipe leakage shall not exceed 5 psi per minute, or air flow shall not exceed 60 cubic feet per minute (CFM). The brake pipe leakage test or air flow method test shall be conducted on the entire train pursuant to the requirements contained in § 232.205(c)(1);

(2) The air brake system shall be charged to the pressure at which the train will be operated, and the pressure at the rear of the train shall be within 15 psi of the pressure at which the train will be operated, but not less than 75 psi, as indicated by an accurate gauge or end-of-train device at the rear end of train;

(3) The brakes on each car added to the train and on the rear car of the train shall be inspected to ensure that they apply in response to a 20-psi brake pipe service reduction and remain applied until the release is initiated from the controlling locomotive. A car found with brakes that fail to apply or remain applied may be retested and remain in the train if the retest is conducted as prescribed in § 232.205(c)(4); otherwise, the defective equipment may only be moved pursuant to the provisions of § 232.15, if applicable;

(4) When the release is initiated, the brakes on each car added to the train and on the rear car of the train shall be inspected to verify that they did release; this may be performed by a “roll-by” inspection. If a “roll-by” inspection of the brake release is performed, train speed shall not exceed 10 MPH, and the qualified person performing the “roll-by” inspection shall communicate the results of the inspection to the operator of the train; and

(5) Before the train proceeds the operator of the train shall know that the brake pipe pressure at the rear of the train is being restored.

(c) As an alternative to the rear car brake application and release portion of the test, the operator of the train shall determine that brake pipe pressure of the train is being reduced, as indicated by a rear car gauge or end-of-train telemetry device, and then that the brake pipe pressure of the train is being restored, as indicated by a rear car gauge or end-of-train telemetry device. (When an end-of-train telemetry device is used to comply with any test requirement in this part, the phrase “brake pipe pressure of the train is being reduced” means a pressure reduction of at least 5 psi, and the phrase “brake pipe pressure of the train is being restored” means a pressure increase of at least 5 psi). If an electronic communication link between a controlling locomotive and a remotely controlled locomotive attached to the rear end of a train is utilized to determine that brake pipe pressure is being restored, the operator of the train shall know that the air brakes function as intended on the remotely controlled locomotive.

(d) Each car or solid block of cars that receives a Class II brake test pursuant to this section when added to the train shall receive a Class I brake test at the next forward location where facilities are available for performing such a test.

[66 FR 4193, Jan. 17, 2001, as amended at 67 FR 17583, Apr. 10, 2002; 85 FR 80572, Dec. 11, 2020]