(a)

(1) Except as further specified in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, §238.201(b), and §238.209(b), each passenger car shall have at each end of the car, placed ahead of the occupied volume, two full-height corner posts, each capable of resisting together with its supporting car body structure:

(i) A 150,000-pound horizontal force applied at a point even with the top of the underframe, without exceeding the ultimate strength of either the post or its supporting car body structure;

(ii) A 20,000-pound horizontal force applied at the point of attachment to the roof structure, without exceeding the ultimate strength of either the post or its supporting car body structure; and

(iii) A 30,000-pound horizontal force applied at a point 18 inches above the top of the underframe, without permanent deformation of either the post or its supporting car body structure.

(2) For purposes of this paragraph (a), the orientation of the applied horizontal forces shall range from longitudinal inward to lateral inward.

(b)

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, each cab car and MU locomotive ordered on or after May 10, 2010, or placed in service for the first time on or after March 8, 2012, shall have at its forward end, in lieu of the structural protection described in paragraph (a) of this section, two corner posts ahead of the occupied volume, meeting all of the requirements set forth in paragraphs (b)(2) and (b)(3) of this section:

(2) Each corner post acting together with its supporting car body structure shall be capable of withstanding the following loads individually applied toward the inside of the vehicle at all angles in the range from longitudinal to lateral:

(i) A 300,000-pound horizontal force applied at a point even with the top of the underframe, without exceeding the ultimate strength of either the post or its supporting car body structure;

(ii) A 100,000-pound horizontal force applied at a point 18 inches above the top of the underframe, without permanent deformation of either the post or its supporting car body structure; and

(iii) A 45,000-pound horizontal force applied at any height along the post above the top of the underframe, without permanent deformation of either the post or its supporting car body structure.

(3) Prior to or during structural deformation, each corner post acting together with its supporting car body structure shall be capable of absorbing a minimum of 120,000 foot-pounds of energy (0.16 megajoule) with no more than 10 inches of longitudinal, permanent deformation into the occupied volume, in accordance with the following:

(i) The corner post shall be loaded longitudinally at a height of 30 inches above the top of the underframe;

(ii) The load shall be applied with a fixture, or its equivalent, having a width sufficient to distribute the load directly into the webs of the post, but of no more than 36 inches and either:

(A) A flat plate with a height of 6 inches; or

(B) A curved surface with a diameter of no more than 48 inches; and

(iii) There shall be no complete separation of the post, its connection to the underframe, its connection to either the roof structure or anti-telescoping plate (if used), or of its supporting car body structure.

(c)

(1) Each cab car and MU locomotive ordered on or after May 10, 2010, or placed in service for the first time on or after March 8, 2012, utilizing low-level passenger boarding on the non-operating side of the cab end shall meet the corner post requirements of paragraph (b) of this section for the corner post on the side of the cab containing the control stand. In lieu of the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section, and after FRA review and approval of a plan, including acceptance criteria, to evaluate compliance with this paragraph (c), each such cab car and MU locomotive may have two corner posts on the opposite (non-operating) side of the cab from the control stand meeting all of the requirements set forth in paragraphs (c)(2) through (c)(4) of this section:

(2) One corner post shall be located ahead of the stepwell and, acting together with its supporting car body structure, shall be capable of withstanding the following horizontal loads individually applied toward the inside of the vehicle:

(i) A 150,000-pound longitudinal force applied at a point even with the top of the underframe, without exceeding the ultimate strength of either the post or its supporting car body structure;

(ii) A 30,000-pound longitudinal force applied at a point 18 inches above the top of the underframe, without permanent deformation of either the post or its supporting car body structure;

(iii) A 30,000-pound longitudinal force applied at the point of attachment to the roof structure, without permanent deformation of either the post or its supporting car body structure;

(iv) A 20,000-pound longitudinal force applied at any height along the post above the top of the underframe, without permanent deformation of either the post or its supporting car body structure;

(v) A 300,000-pound lateral force applied at a point even with the top of the underframe, without exceeding the ultimate strength of either the post or its supporting car body structure;

(vi) A 100,000-pound lateral force applied at a point 18 inches above the top of underframe, without permanent deformation of either the post or its supporting car body structure; and

(vii) A 45,000-pound lateral force applied at any height along the post above the top of the underframe, without permanent deformation of either the post or its supporting car body structure.

(3) A second corner post shall be located behind the stepwell and, acting together with its supporting car body structure, shall be capable of withstanding the following horizontal loads individually applied toward the inside of the vehicle:

(i) A 300,000-pound longitudinal force applied at a point even with the top of the underframe, without exceeding the ultimate strength of either the post or its supporting car body structure;

(ii) A 100,000-pound longitudinal force applied at a point 18 inches above the top of the underframe, without permanent deformation of either the post or its supporting car body structure;

(iii) A 45,000-pound longitudinal force applied at any height along the post above the top of the underframe, without permanent deformation of either the post or its supporting car body structure;

(iv) A 100,000-pound lateral force applied at a point even with the top of the underframe, without exceeding the ultimate strength of either the post or its supporting car body structure;

(v) A 30,000-pound lateral force applied at a point 18 inches above the top of the underframe, without permanent deformation of either the post or its supporting car body structure; and

(vi) A 20,000-pound lateral force applied at any height along the post above the top of the underframe, without permanent deformation of either the post or its supporting car body structure.

(4) Prior to or during structural deformation, the two posts in combination acting together with their supporting body structure shall be capable of absorbing a minimum of 120,000 foot-pounds of energy (0.16 megajoule) in accordance with the following:

(i) The corner posts shall be loaded longitudinally at a height of 30 inches above the top of the underframe;

(ii) The load shall be applied with a fixture, or its equivalent, having a width sufficient to distribute the load directly into the webs of the post, but of no more than 36 inches and either:

(A) A flat plate with a height of 6 inches; or

(B) A curved surface with a diameter of no more than 48 inches; and

(iii) The corner post located behind the stepwell shall have no more than 10 inches of longitudinal, permanent deformation. There shall be no complete separation of the corner post located behind the stepwell, its connection to the underframe, its connection to either the roof structure or anti-telescoping plate (if used), or of its supporting car body structure. The corner post ahead of the stepwell is permitted to fail. (A graphical description of the forward end of a cab car or an MU locomotive utilizing low-level passenger boarding on the non-operating side of the cab end is provided in Figure 1 to subpart C of this part.)

[75 FR 1229, Jan. 8, 2010, as amended at 83 FR 59219, Nov. 21, 2018; 84 FR 16414, Apr. 19, 2019]