49 C.F.R. § 239.7

Current through November 30, 2024
Section 239.7 - Definitions

As used in this part-

Adjacent rail modes of transportation means other railroads, trolleys, light rail, heavy transit, and other vehicles operating on rails or electromagnetic guideways which are expressly identified in a railroad's emergency preparedness plan.

Administrator means the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration or the Administrator's delegate.

Control center means a central location on a railroad with responsibility for directing the safe movement of trains.

Crewmember means a person, other than a passenger, who is assigned to perform either:

(1) On-board functions connected with the movement of the train (i.e., an employee of the railroad, or of a contractor to the railroad, who is assigned to perform service subject to the Federal hours of service requirements during a tour of duty) or
(2) On-board functions in a sleeping car or coach assigned to intercity service, other than food, beverage, or security service.

Division headquarters means the location designated by the railroad where a high-level operating manager (e.g., a superintendent, division manager, or equivalent), who has jurisdiction over a portion of the railroad, has an office.

Emergency or emergency situation means an unexpected event related to the operation of passenger train service involving a significant threat to the safety or health of one or more persons requiring immediate action, including:

(1) A derailment;
(2) A fatality at a grade crossing;
(3) A passenger or employee fatality, or a serious illness or injury to one or more passengers or crewmembers requiring admission to a hospital;
(4) An evacuation of a passenger train; and
(5) A security situation (e.g., a bomb threat).

Emergency preparedness plan means one or more documents focusing on preparedness and response in dealing with a passenger train emergency.

Emergency responder, on-line emergency responder, or outside emergency responder means a member of a police or fire department, or other organization involved with public safety charged with providing or coordinating emergency services, who responds to a passenger train emergency.

Emergency response communications center means a central location, or a group of individuals, designated by a railroad with responsibility for establishing, coordinating, or maintaining communication with outside emergency responders, representatives of adjacent rail modes of transportation, or appropriate railroad officials during a passenger train emergency. The emergency response communications center may be part of the control center.

Emergency window means that segment of a side facing glazing location which has been designed to permit rapid and easy removal in an emergency situation.

FRA means the Federal Railroad Administration.

Joint operations means rail operations conducted by more than one railroad on the same track, except as necessary for the purpose of interchange, regardless of whether such operations are the result of:

(1) Contractual arrangements between the railroads;
(2) Order of a governmental agency or a court of law; or
(3) Any other legally binding directive.

Passenger train service means the transportation of persons (other than employees, contractors, or persons riding equipment to observe or monitor railroad operations) by railroad in intercity passenger service or commuter or other short-haul passenger service in a metropolitan or suburban area.

Person includes all categories of entities covered under 1 U.S.C. 1 , including, but not limited to, a railroad; any manager, supervisor, official, or other employee or agent of a railroad; any owner, manufacturer, lessor, or lessee of railroad equipment, track, or facilities; any passenger; any trespasser or nontrespasser; any independent contractor providing goods or services to a railroad; any volunteer providing goods or services to a railroad; and any employee of such owner, manufacturer, lessor, lessee, or independent contractor.

Private car means a rail passenger car used to transport non-revenue passengers on an occasional contractual basis, and includes business or office cars and circus trains.

Qualified means a status attained by an employee who has successfully completed any required training for, has demonstrated proficiency in, and has been authorized by the employer to perform the duties of a particular position or function involving emergency preparedness.

Railroad means:

(1) Any form of non-highway ground transportation that runs on rails or electromagnetic guideways, including-
(i) Commuter or other short-haul rail passenger service in a metropolitan or suburban area and commuter railroad service that was operated by the Consolidated Rail Corporation on January 1, 1979, and
(ii) High speed ground transportation systems that connect metropolitan areas, without regard to whether those systems use new technologies not associated with traditional railroads, but does not include rapid transit operations in an urban area that are not connected to the general railroad system of transportation and
(2) A person that provides railroad transportation, whether directly or by contracting out operation of the railroad to another person.

Railroad officer means any supervisory employee of a railroad.

System headquarters means the location designated by the railroad as the general office for the railroad system.

49 C.F.R. §239.7

63 FR 24676, May 4, 1998, as amended at 79 FR 18147 , Mar. 31, 2014