FRA Part 223 window glazing, to be specific. That seems to be something you can't just go down to your local glass shop and order. Is there anyplace special or a supplier that museums or excursion operators go through to get the stuff? Could one buy some from a railroad's shops? I've heard it is pretty pricey, but nobody's ever mentioned an actual price. We recently had a caboose donated to us that had at one time been upgraded with Part 223 windows, but one was missing when we got it. We are at the stage of deciding whether to replace the glass (being the car has a placard stating the Part 223 compliance, we figure it has to be replaced with 223), or plate over it with steel plating, similar to what the RR did on the other side of the 'boose.

None of us have the experience working with the glass. Wood, yes. Canvas, yes. Even steel, but nobody knows anything about this glass, so I've done a little research, but can't find anything on the 'Net about where we could go to find it, much less pricing. There's other work to be done before it's placed into service, so the decision doesn't have to be made right this moment, but it would be nice to have something to go on to bring to the Board, so we can plan accordingly.

Any information or tips would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks, and God bless!

You asked about glazing which I interpret as glass. You can get FRA complient polycarbonate a number of places, but getting it stamped FRA from you local vendor is another thing. Anyway, I've inspected FRA complient glazing and window frames, over the last few years for a variety of trade customers, at:

Ellcon-National in Greenville/Spartenburg SC
North American Specialty Glass in Trombauersville (sp?) PA
J.T. Nelson in Louisville, LY
Sierracin in Los Angeles CA (windscreens)

All the above supply the car and locomotive trade. All are for profit corporations, so expect to pay. There is an outside chance that a few windows might still be a "stock" item if Amtrak or some commuter agency is still using it. Making modifications for emergency exits is another thing, beyond that.

G.F.Payne
Baltimore, MD

Dave,

Let flesh out some of George's statements. The reason that the legal "glass" glass is so expensive is that in order to meet the 223 strength, the glass has to be tempered after it is cut to shape, so you could not go to your local auto glass guy and get it anyway. And the FRA requires that it be permanently marked or etched with the certification data.

Despite there being several assemblers that George has listed, it seems that there are only two actual manufacturers of the glass, and that is Sierracin-Transtech in California and Saint-Gobain Sully in Pennsylvania. Other large glass floater have the cabability, but do not want to be bothered by the relatively small (to them) railroad transit market.

If Lexan (R) is used, it has already been qualified, and what folks have done is get an electric hot stamp made from McMaster Carr that has the FRA Type II, etc. markings. But then you have the joys of a glazing that will turn cloudy in 6 years no matter what the manufacturer says, and will go cloudy even faster if one of your well meaning volunteers uses the wrong cleaner on it.

Steve Zuiderveen