§ 117.743 Rahway River.

The draw of the Conrail Bridge, mile 2.0, across the Rahway River, at Linden, New Jersey, shall operate as follows:

(a) The draw shall remain in the full open position at all times, and shall only be closed for the passage of rail traffic or the performance of maintenance authorized in accordance with subpart A of this part.

(b) The draw shall be remotely operated by a bridge/train dispatcher located at the Conrail Dispatch Office at Mount Laurel, New Jersey.

(c) A marine traffic light system shall be maintained at the bridge and display flashing green lights to indicate that vessels may pass through the bridge, and flashing red lights anytime the bridge is not in the full open position.

(d) An infrared sensor system shall be maintained at the bridge to determine that no conflict with vessel traffic exists while the bridge is closing.

(e) Before the bridge may be closed from the remote location, an on-site train crewmember shall observe the waterway for any vessel traffic. All approaching vessels shall be allowed to pass before the bridge may close. The on-scene train crewmember shall then communicate with the bridge/train dispatcher at the Conrail Dispatch Office, at Mount Laurel, either by radio or telephone, to request that the bridge be closed.

(f) While the bridge is moving from the full open to full closed position, the bridge/train dispatcher shall maintain constant surveillance of the navigational channel at the bridge using the infrared sensor system.

(g) If the infrared sensors detect a vessel or other obstruction approaching or under the bridge before the draw is fully lowered and locked, the closing sequence shall be stopped, automatically, and the draw shall be raised to its full open position until the channel is clear.

(h) During the downward bridge closing movement, the marine traffic light system located at the bridge will change from flashing green to flashing red, the public address system shall announce that the bridge shall be closing, and the horn shall sound two times, pause 10 seconds, then repeat two horn blasts until the bridge is seated and fully locked down.

(i) When all rail traffic has cleared the bridge, the bridge/train dispatcher shall sound the horn five-times to signal that the draw is about to open.

(j) In the event of a failure, or obstruction to the infrared sensor system, the bridge shall immediately be returned to the full open position until the problem is corrected.

(k) In the event of a loss of communication between the on-site personnel and the bridge/train dispatcher, the bridge shall immediately be returned to the full open position until the problem is corrected.

(l) Should the draw become inoperable from the remote site while the bridge is in the closed position, a bridge tender, maintenance personnel, or engineer shall be deployed to be on scene within one hour from the time the draw becomes inoperable until the bridge can be returned to the full open position.

(m) Trains shall be controlled so that any delay in opening of the draw shall not exceed ten minutes after a train has crossed the bridge; except, as provided in 33 CFR 117.31(b). However, if a train moving toward the bridge has crossed the home signal for the bridge, the train may continue across the bridge and must clear the bridge interlocks before stopping.

[CGD01–03–096, 69 FR 8814, Feb. 26, 2004]