StacksVerified U.S. regulatory reference

49 CFR §299.415

Verified against eCFR.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on eCFR.gov ↗
  1. (a)Each powered, exterior side door in a vestibule that is partitioned from the passenger compartment of a trainset shall have a manual override device that is—
    1. (1)Capable of releasing the door to permit it to be opened without power.
    2. (2)Located such that—
      1. (i)Interior access is provided adjacent to each manual door release mechanism; and,
      2. (ii)Exterior access is provided on each side of each car.
    3. (3)Designed and maintained so that a person may access and operate the override device readily without requiring the use of a tool or other implement.
    4. (4)The railroad may protect a manual override device used to open a powered, exterior door with a cover or a screen.
    5. (5)When a manual override device is activated, door panel friction, including seals and hangers, shall allow the doors to be opened or closed manually with as low a force as practicable.
    6. (6)The emergency release mechanism shall require manual reset.
  2. (b)Each passenger car shall have a minimum of one exterior side door per side. Each such door shall provide a minimum clear opening with dimensions of 813 mm (32 inches) horizontally by 1,850 mm (72.8 inches) vertically.
  3. (c)Door exits shall be marked, and instructions provided for their use, as specified in § 299.423.
  4. (d)All doors intended for access by emergency responders shall be marked, and instructions provided for their use, as specified in § 299.423.
  5. (e)Vestibule doors and other interior doors intended for passage through a passenger car.
    1. (1)General. Except for a door providing access to a control compartment each powered vestibule door and any other powered interior door intended for passage through a passenger car shall have a manual override device that conforms with the requirements of paragraphs (e)(2) and (3) of this section.
    2. (2)Manual override devices. Each manual override device shall be:
      1. (i)Capable of releasing the door to permit it to be opened without power;
      2. (ii)Located adjacent to the door it controls; and
      3. (iii)Designed and maintained so that a person may readily access and operate the override device from each side of the door without the use of a tool or other implement.
    3. (3)Marking and instructions. Each manual override device and each retention mechanism shall be marked, and instructions provided for their use, as specified in § 299.423.
  6. (f)The status of each powered, exterior side door in a passenger car shall be displayed to the driver in the operating cab. Door interlock sensors shall be provided to detect trainset motion and shall be nominally set to operate at 5 km/h.
  7. (g)All powered exterior side passenger doors shall—
    1. (1)Be equipped with the service-proven door safety system utilized by the N700 or an alternate door safety system designed subject to a Failure Modes, Effects, Criticality Analysis (FMECA);
    2. (2)Be designed with an obstruction detection system capable of detecting a rigid flat bar, 6.4 mm ( 1/4 inches) wide and 76 mm (3 inches) high and a rigid rod, 9.5 mm ( 3/8 inches) in diameter;
    3. (3)Incorporate an obstruction detection system sufficient to detect large obstructions;
    4. (4)Be designed so that activation of a door by-pass feature does not affect the operation of the obstruction detection system on all the other doors on the trainset;
    5. (5)Have the door control station located in a secured area that is only accessible to crewmembers or maintenance personnel;
    6. (6)Be designed such that the door open or closed circuit is not affected by the throttle position; and
    7. (7)Use discrete, dedicated trainlines for door-open and door-close commands, door-closed summary circuit, and no motion, if trainlined.
  8. (h)All powered exterior side door systems in a trainset shall—
    1. (1)Be designed with a door summary circuit. The door summary circuit shall be connected or interlocked to prohibit the trainset from developing tractive power if an exterior side door in a passenger car, other than a door under the direct physical control of a crewmember for his or her exclusive use, is not closed;
    2. (2)Be connected to side door status indicators located on the exterior of each unit of the trainset;
    3. (3)Be connected to a door summary status indicator that is readily viewable to the driver from his or her normal position in the operating cab;
    4. (4)If equipped with a trainset-wide door by-pass device, be designed so that the trainset-wide door by-pass functions only when activated from the operating cab of the trainset;
    5. (5)Be equipped with a lock (cut-out/lock-out) mechanism installed at each door panel to secure a door in the closed and locked position. When the lock mechanism is utilized to secure the door in the closed position, a door-closed indication shall be provided to the door summary circuit; and
    6. (6)Be designed such that a crew key or other secure device be required to lock-out an exterior side door to prevent unauthorized use.
      1. (i)
        1. (1)Visual inspections and functional tests. The inspection and functional tests required for the door safety system, including the trainset-wide door by-pass verification, shall be conducted in accordance with the railroad's trainset inspection, testing, and maintenance program in accordance with § 299.445, and operating rules under subpart E.
        2. (2)Face-to-face relief. Crewmembers taking control of a trainset do not need to perform a visual inspection or a functional test of the door by-pass devices in cases of face-to-face relief of another trainset crew and notification by that crew as to the functioning of the door by-pass devices.
  9. (j)The railroad shall maintain a record of each door by-pass activation and each unintended opening of a powered exterior side door, including any repair(s) made, in the defect tracking system as required by § 299.445(h).