Meanwhile, about those FRA 224 reflective stripes....

David H. Hamley · **Joined:** Tue Aug 24, 2004 3:07 pm **Posts:** 705

The other thread on this subject seems to have gone far astray, so.....

We have at Pennsylvania Trolley Museum a 25 ton GE diesel that once placed in service will occasionally cross public roads. Since this loco is anything but historic in its modified form, we will WANT to mark it with such highly reflective stripes.

Where can we obtain those meeting the FRA regs?

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Tue Sep 21, 2010 11:53 am

I'm not sure exactly what the FRA regs specify, but I know for a fact that you can pick up reflectorized tape or labels that meet DOT specifications at most industrial/trucking supply stores such as Grainger; some of the ones for tractor-trailers come pre-packaged in the right dimensions for your trailer, with instructions on where to mount them. Warning: the good stuff ain't cheap--I remember one contract job I was working on where they warned us the roll they brought in was "$195 a roll--whatever you do, don't waste it!"

One example, the red-white design mandated for truck sides:
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/3M-Con ... Pid=search

Closer to what you'd need in all-white:
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/3M-Con ... Pid=search

Maybe a stack of these would be cheaper and do the job?
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/GROTE- ... Pid=search

Stationary Steam · **Posted:** Tue Sep 21, 2010 12:39 pm

A vendor at a local flea market sells DOT C2 reflective tape for CHEAP, maybe $2 for a 4 foot x 2" wide piece. Maybe I need to pick some up next Sunday.

What are the specs. for the reflectors? Specific colors or sizes?

Ed Kapuscinski · **Posted:** Tue Sep 21, 2010 2:36 pm

Thanks Dave, it's a shame that some people will take any chance they can get to grind their political axe, personally, I'm here for the information like that that was just posted.

Howard P. · **Posted:** Tue Sep 21, 2010 2:39 pm

http://www.surf-prep.com

http://www.surf-prep.com/id17.html

Look in their listing for the tape; it's available in yellow and white. The prices are about the best of all the sources I've found. This is the right stuff, FRA-approved, not the trucker stuff. The proper size is 4" x 18".

Howard P.

Stationary Steam · **Posted:** Tue Sep 21, 2010 9:26 pm

If anyone contacts them and gets a price, please post it here.

Thanks

Howard P. · **Posted:** Tue Sep 21, 2010 9:34 pm

$165.00 per roll, including shipping (to NY, your shipment cost may vary).

The rolls are "kiss-cut" (now there's an interesting phrase) to the standard 4" x 18" and can easily be separated, or used as a continuous length. There are minimum spacings that are required on each side, see the FRA regs for details on each type of equipment.

Howard P.

Blake Howell · **Posted:** Wed Sep 22, 2010 2:09 am

Stationary Steam wrote:

What are the specs. for the reflectors? Specific colors or sizes?

Here's some information:

http://www.fra.dot.gov/downloads/safety/mpe/chapter_14-224.pdf

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2008/octqtr/pdf/49cfr224.106.pdf

Quote:

Locomotives. Locomotives subject to this part shall be equipped with at least the minimum amounts of retroreflective sheeting required by §224.105 either in strips four inches wide and 18 or 36 inches long and spaced as uniformly as practicable along the length of the locomotive sides, or in one continuous strip, at least four inches wide, along the length of the locomotive. Retroreflective sheeting applied to locomotive sides shall be applied as close as practicable to 42 inches from the top of the rail.

Certification. The characters ‘‘FRA–224’’, constituting the manufacturer’s certification that the retroreflective sheeting conforms to the requirements shall appear at least once on the exposed surface of each piece of sheeting in the final application. The characters shall be a minimum of three millimeters high, and shall be permanently stamped, etched, molded, or printed within the product and each certification shall be spaced no more than four inches apart.

This is not a product recommendation, just a reference as to what 3M has to offer:
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Traffic_Safety/TSS/Offerings/Products/Veh_Conspicuity_Markings/?PC_7_RJH9U5230GE3E02LECFTDQOVB5_nid=39SVG5XH39beMRKM0WZXCWgl

Chris Salmonson · **Posted:** Wed Sep 22, 2010 10:34 am

It appears Amtrak uses a continuous reflective red stripe on cars and locomotives.

RCD · **Posted:** Wed Sep 22, 2010 7:42 pm

For historic equipment just use magnetic reflective strips.

junior · **Posted:** Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:44 pm

...or do like Wilmington & Western does...striping and lettering on all equipment is reflective.

...grant it, the coach striping does not meet the 42 inches in height requirement.