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 Post subject: Are Dept. Of Defense Locos Subject To FRA Regs.?
PostPosted: Fri May 26, 2017 12:01 pm 

Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2015 8:24 am
Posts: 69
Location: Cleveland, OH
If the DOD has a loco which never leaves a base or armory does it have to comply with FRA regulations and have a blue card? Or does the government exempt itself from those requirements?


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 Post subject: Re: Are Dept. Of Defense Locos Subject To FRA Regs.?
PostPosted: Fri May 26, 2017 1:02 pm 

Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2005 7:16 am
Posts: 1998
The Army Regulation on the Management of Rail Equipment is worded in this way:

All Army activities and installations will comply with 49CFR200 through 49CFR299. This is Item 1-5 (a) of Regulation 56-3.

Applicable Section relating to blue cards is 49 CFR 229.23 Periodic Inspection : General

But is also says: If the equipment was acquired to operate in interchange service as part of the DFRIF (Defense Freight Railway Interchange Fleet) it will be maintained in accordance with AAR and FRA rules and practices. This is Item 1-5 (c) of Regulation 56-3.

PC

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 Post subject: Re: Are Dept. Of Defense Locos Subject To FRA Regs.?
PostPosted: Fri May 26, 2017 5:55 pm 

Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 2:02 am
Posts: 6
When I worked for the Pa and Southern Railway that served the Letterkenny Army Depot, we used the Armies 80 ton center cabs, and they were inspected every 92 days and the 3 year was all done as well.


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 Post subject: Re: Are Dept. Of Defense Locos Subject To FRA Regs.?
PostPosted: Wed May 31, 2017 7:45 am 

Joined: Thu May 21, 2015 9:33 am
Posts: 194
Location: Liberty Hill, SC
We meet all FRA rules and regulations here at Shaw AFB. I have a CFR 49 and the spine is blown out and there is at least an entire stack of sticky notes poking out. Whenever someone on base tells me to do something or not do something I make my point in black and white with the federal law.

My two 80ton locomotives are blue carded, the track is inspected weekly, and we have a crossing signal inspection program as well.

All that being said, I have seen one FRA inspector here in the 10 years I have worked here. All he wanted to see were the crossing signals.

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 Post subject: Re: Are Dept. Of Defense Locos Subject To FRA Regs.?
PostPosted: Wed May 31, 2017 9:13 pm 

Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2013 10:45 pm
Posts: 300
This is a tricky question as the FRA does not have authority over any government facility unless:
[1] It is part of the general system of railroad transportation (Amtrak, most commuter railroads, etc.),
[2] The facility has invited the FRA to come in and have authority, or
[3] The government organization writes the FRA standards into their own standards.

In the case of the Department of Defense, they used to use only the Corps of Engineers standards which were very different from those of the FRA. However, because of the many facilities now being operated by contractors and railroads, turning parts of facilities into industrial parks, etc., they have added the FRA standards to many of their own standards at most facilities. The same applies at some other government facilities, but some still refuse to place themselves under FRA authority or standards.


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 Post subject: Re: Are Dept. Of Defense Locos Subject To FRA Regs.?
PostPosted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 8:35 pm 
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Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2004 1:15 pm
Posts: 1466
Location: Henderson Nevada
We have two locomotives at the Nevada State railroad Museum from the Nevada Test site. They were used in a series of nuclear rocket motor tests on an insular line well within the test site at Jackass flats. It is unlikely that a FRA inspector could get access to the place as it is guarded by men with (according to a previous Nevada Museums Director) "no hair, no neck, no sense of humor, big side arm"... The test programs were apparently under NASA, Dept of Energy and the DoD at various times... (the test site is very secretive and so there is much not know)

When we acquired the locomotives they had cab cards and daily inspection reports filled out as required by the FRA... Including for periods where there were no known test programs (the operative word being "known")

Randy

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