§ 238.233 - Interior fittings and surfaces.

§ 238.233 Interior fittings and surfaces.

(a) Each seat in a passenger car shall -

(1) Be securely fastened to the car body so as to withstand an individually applied acceleration of 4g acting in the lateral direction and 4g acting in the upward vertical direction on the deadweight of the seat or seats, if held in tandem; and

(2) Have an attachment to the car body of an ultimate strength capable of resisting simultaneously:

(i) The longitudinal inertial force of 8g acting on the mass of the seat; and

(ii) The load associated with the impact into the seatback of an unrestrained 95th-percentile adult male initially seated behind the seat, when the floor to which the seat is attached decelerates with a triangular crash pulse having a peak of 8g and a duration of 250 milliseconds.

(b) Overhead storage racks in a passenger car shall provide longitudinal and lateral restraint for stowed articles. Overhead storage racks shall be attached to the car body with sufficient strength to resist loads due to the following individually applied accelerations acting on the mass of the luggage stowed as determined by the railroad:

(1) Longitudinal: 8g;

(2) Vertical: 4g; and

(3) Lateral: 4g.

(c) Other interior fittings within a passenger car shall be attached to the car body with sufficient strength to withstand the following individually applied accelerations acting on the mass of the fitting:

(1) Longitudinal: 8g;

(2) Vertical: 4g; and

(3) Lateral: 4g.

(d) To the extent possible, all interior fittings in a passenger car, except seats, shall be recessed or flush-mounted.

(e) Sharp edges and corners in a locomotive cab and a passenger car shall be either avoided or padded to mitigate the consequences of an impact with such surfaces.

(f) Locomotives required to be constructed in accordance with subpart D of part 229 of this chapter shall have cab seat attachment in compliance with § 229.206 of this chapter, in lieu of the following requirements of this paragraph. Each seat provided for a crewmember regularly assigned to occupy the cab of a locomotive and each floor-mounted seat in the cab shall be secured to the car body with an attachment having an ultimate strength capable of withstanding the loads due to the following individually applied accelerations acting on the combined mass of the seat and a 95th-percentile adult male occupying it:

(1) Longitudinal: 8g;

(2) Lateral: 4g; and

(3) Vertical: 4g.

(g) If, for purposes of showing compliance with the requirements of this section, the strength of a seat attachment is to be demonstrated through sled testing, the seat structure and seat attachment to the sled that is used in such testing must be representative of the actual seat structure in, and seat attachment to, the rail vehicle subject to the requirements of this section. If the attachment strength of any other interior fitting is to be demonstrated through sled testing, for purposes of showing compliance with the requirements of this section, such testing shall be conducted in a similar manner.

[64 FR 25660, May 12, 1999, as amended at 71 FR 36917, June 28, 2006]