While Train was meeting in AZ I took the opportunity to attend the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association Southern Region meeting in Panama City. While having business with a couple of other attendees I wanted to here the ASLRRA's take on the new regulations and views on what is coming next.

ASLRRA arranged for a number of speakers from the FRA ranging from grade crossing safety (how many of you meet the 10/15/09 crossing inventory completion requirement?) to PIH handling and the regional administrator was there as well. While not all pertained to our industry (where do you put PTC on a steam engine?) they all will affect the shortlines and class I's, some of which host our operations. ASLRRA is following over 60 issues in Washington right now (have you chosen a CMO yet, and I don't mean Chief Mechanical Officer) many which will come to pass in the next few months. Are you ready to certify carmen?

ASLRRA deploys a considerable lobbying effort in Congress. Quite frankly it leaves TRAIN's efforts far behind in the dust. They pursue blanket exemptions and in some cases waivers. ASLRRA offers an associate railroad membership designed to cater to the tourist railroad industry. It offers industry wide model programs to meet FRA regulations that you just have drop in your name and submit. For TVRM's dollar I'm seriously thinking that we would get more from ASLRRA. I asked our rep to the TRAIN meeting to pass that thought along.

Tim Andrews
President
TVRM
Chattanooga, TN

I can understand the purpose needing the glazing and the safety windows, but the historical/museum operations arent in the daily demands like the mainlines, plus the possible amount of old equipment and money required to convert which museum operations are always in a shortfall for.

Its still a good idea for the museums to look at the rule and see where it may actually benefit doing it should funds allow. Probably on operating equipment as a priority. How much does it cost to safetyglaze a window anyways?

If you have a standard EMD or GE window, 223 glazing is not terribly expensive relative to ANSI safety plate (automobile grade glass). BUT, if you have an F-unit/E-unit or an older Alco (say, RS3 or S series switcher), or passenger cars, or cabeese, it is custom made with 2-6 month lead time and can require things like new custom frames. There are cheaper ways to make an RS3 compliant (making adapter plates for off the shelf glass), but part of the appeal of an historic tourist/excursion operation is the appearance of the equipment.

Personally, I have less issue with the requirements for upgrading locomotives (which are subject to forward and rear facing hazards) than with passenger cars which can get expensive in a hurry. I know that a friend had windows made for his sleeper-lounge and that was around $10K for the one car.

There is no 'off the shelf' substitute for FRA glazing. Part 223 specifies a 'witness test' which carries specifications for both penetration of the glazing material and retention of the glazing material within the frame.

I have visited a certified lab in MD (which also tests body armor) and seen the test rig(s) used for the glazing.

Once upon a time, someone (JT Nelson) was tooled up to produce FRA glazing for RS-3's.

DPK

I did not say there was an off the shelf substitute. Off the shelf reference was in regard to in-stock sizes. Any size or shape can be cut, but RS3's are not on the in-stock list at what used to be JT Nelson or any other distributor...