(a) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, each passenger car shall receive an interior mechanical inspection at least once each calendar day that it is placed in service.

(b) The interior calendar day mechanical inspection shall be performed by a qualified person or a qualified maintenance person.

(c) As part of the interior calendar day mechanical inspection, the railroad shall verify conformity with the following conditions, and nonconformity with any such condition renders the car defective when discovered in service, except as provided in paragraphs (c)(8) through (13) and paragraph (d) of this section.

(1) All fan openings, exposed gears and pinions, exposed moving parts of mechanisms, pipes carrying hot gases and high-voltage equipment, switches, circuit breakers, contactors, relays, grid resistors, and fuses are installed in non-hazardous locations or equipped with guards to prevent personal injury.

(2) Floors of passageways and compartments are free from oil, water, waste, or any obstruction that creates a slipping, tripping, or fire hazard, and floors are properly treated to provide secure footing.

(3) All D rings, pull handles, or other means to access manual door releases are in place based on a visual inspection.

(4) All emergency equipment, including a fire extinguisher, pry bar, auxiliary portable lighting, and first aid kits, as applicable, are in place.

(5) The words “Emergency Brake Valve” are legibly stenciled or marked near each brake pipe valve or shown on an adjacent badge plate.

(6) All doors and cover plates guarding high voltage equipment are marked “Danger—High Voltage” or with the word “Danger” and the normal voltage carried by the parts so protected.

(7) All safety-related signage is in place and legible.

(8) All trap doors safely operate and securely latch in place in both the up and down position. A non-complying car may continue in passenger service pursuant to paragraph (d) of this section, if the trap door can be secured by locking out the door for which it is used.

(9) All vestibule steps are illuminated. A non-complying car may continue in passenger service pursuant to paragraph (d) of this section, if the car will be used solely in high-platform service.

(10) All end doors and side doors operate safely and as intended. A noncomplying car may continue in passenger service pursuant to paragraph (d) of this section—

(i) If at least one operative and accessible door is available on each side of the car;

(ii) The train crew is provided written notification of the noncomplying condition; and

(iii) A notice is prominently displayed directly on the defective door indicating that the door is defective.

(11) Low-location emergency exit path markings required by §238.127 are in place and conspicuous.

(12) On passenger cars so equipped, public address and intercom systems shall be operative and function as intended. A passenger car with an inoperative or nonfunctioning public address or intercom system may remain in passenger service until no later than the car's fourth interior calendar day mechanical inspection or next periodic mechanical inspection required under §238.307, whichever occurs first, or for a passenger car used in long-distance intercity train service until the eighth interior calendar day mechanical inspection or next periodic mechanical inspection required under §238.307, whichever occurs first, after the noncomplying condition is discovered, where it shall be repaired or removed from service; provided, the train crew is given written notification of the noncomplying condition, and all of the requirements contained in paragraph (d)(3) of this section are met.

(13) Removable panels and removable windows in vestibule doors and in other interior doors used for passage through a passenger car are properly in place and secured, based on a visual inspection. A noncomplying passenger car may remain in passenger service until no later than the car's fourth interior calendar day mechanical inspection or next periodic mechanical inspection required under §238.307, whichever occurs first, or for a passenger car used in long-distance intercity train service until the eighth interior calendar day mechanical inspection or next periodic mechanical inspection required under §238.307, whichever occurs first, after the noncomplying condition is discovered, where it shall be repaired or removed from service; provided—

(i) The railroad has developed and follows written procedures for mitigating the hazard(s) caused by the noncomplying condition. The railroad's procedures shall include consideration of the type of door in which the removable panel or removable window is located, the manner in which the door is normally opened, and the risk of personal injury resulting from a missing, broken, or improperly secured removable panel or removable window; and

(ii) The train crew is provided written notification of the noncomplying condition.

(d) Any passenger car found not to be in compliance with the requirements contained in paragraphs (c)(5) through (11) of this section at the time of its interior calendar day mechanical inspection may remain in passenger service until the car's next interior calendar day mechanical inspection, where it must be repaired or removed from passenger service; provided, all of the specific conditions contained in paragraphs (c)(8) through (10) of this section are met and all of the following requirements are met:

(1) A qualified person or a qualified maintenance person determines that the repairs necessary to bring the car into compliance cannot be performed at the time that the current day's interior mechanical inspection is conducted;

(2) A qualified person or a qualified maintenance person determines that it is safe to move the equipment in passenger service; and

(3) A record is maintained of the non-complying condition with the date and time that the condition was first discovered.

(e) A long-distance intercity passenger train that misses a scheduled calendar day interior mechanical inspection due to a delay en route may continue in service to the location where the inspection was scheduled to be performed. At that point, an interior calendar day mechanical inspection shall be performed prior to returning the equipment to service.

(f) Records. A record shall be maintained of each interior calendar day mechanical inspection performed.

(1) This record may be maintained in writing or electronically provided FRA has access to the record upon request.

(2) The written or electronic record must contain the following information:

(i) The identification number of the unit;

(ii) The place, date, and time of the inspection;

(iii) Any non-complying conditions found; and

(iv) The signature or electronic identification of the inspector.

(3) This record may be part of a single master report covering an entire group of cars and equipment.

(4) This record shall be maintained at the place where the inspection is conducted or at one central location and shall be retained for at least 92 days.

[64 FR 25660, May 12, 1999, as amended at 65 FR 41308, July 3, 2000; 73 FR 6412, Feb. 1, 2008; 78 FR 71814, Nov. 29, 2013]