Track surface.

  1. Law
  2. CFR 49
  3. Transportation
  4. Other Regulations Relating to Transportation
  5. Federal Railroad Administration, Department of Transportation
  6. Track Safety Standards
  7. Track Geometry
  8. Track surface.

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§ 213.63 Track surface.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, each track owner shall maintain the surface of its track within the limits prescribed in the following table:

Expand Table
Track surface (inches) Class of track
1 2 3 4 5
The runoff in any 31 feet of rail at the end of a raise may not be more than 31⁄2 3 2 11⁄2 1
The deviation from uniform profile on either rail at the mid-ordinate of a 62-foot chord may not be more than 3 23⁄4 21⁄4 2 11⁄4
The deviation from zero crosslevel at any point on tangent or reverse crosslevel elevation on curves may not be more than 3 2 13⁄4 11⁄4 1
The difference in crosslevel between any two points less than 62 feet apart may not be more than * 1 2 3 21⁄4 2 13⁄4 11⁄2
*Where determined by engineering decision prior to June 22, 1998, due to physical restrictions on spiral length and operating practices and experience, the variation in crosslevel on spirals per 31 feet may not be more than 2 13⁄4 11⁄4 1 3⁄4

1 Except as limited by § 213.57(a), where the elevation at any point in a curve equals or exceeds 6 inches, the difference in crosslevel within 62 feet between that point and a point with greater elevation may not be more than 11⁄2 inches.

2 However, to control harmonics on Class 2 through 5 jointed track with staggered joints, the crosslevel differences shall not exceed 11⁄4 inches in all of six consecutive pairs of joints, as created by seven low joints. Track with joints staggered less than 10 feet apart shall not be considered as having staggered joints. Joints within the seven low joints outside of the regular joint spacing shall not be considered as joints for purposes of this footnote.

(b) For operations at a qualified cant deficiency, Eu, of more than 5 inches, each track owner shall maintain the surface of the curve within the limits prescribed in the following table:

Expand Table
Track surface (inches) Class of track
1 2 3 4 5
The deviation from uniform profile on either rail at the mid-ordinate of a 31-foot chord may not be more than N/A1 N/A1 1 1 1
The deviation from uniform profile on either rail at the mid-ordinate of a 62-foot chord may not be more than 21⁄4 21⁄4 13⁄4 11⁄4 1
The difference in crosslevel between any two points less than 10 feet apart (short warp) shall not be more than 2 2 13⁄4 13⁄4 11⁄2

1 N/A - Not Applicable.

[78 FR 16101, Mar. 13, 2013]


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