§ 238.309 Periodic brake equipment maintenance.

(a) General. (1) This section contains the minimum intervals at which the brake equipment on various types of passenger equipment shall be periodically cleaned, repaired, and tested. This maintenance procedure requires that all of the equipment's brake system pneumatic components that contain moving parts and are sealed against air leaks be removed from the equipment, disassembled, cleaned, and lubricated and that the parts that can deteriorate with age be replaced.

(2) A railroad may petition FRA's Associate Administrator for Safety to approve alternative maintenance procedures providing equivalent safety, in lieu of the requirements of this section. The petition shall be filed as provided in § 238.21.

(b) DMU and MU locomotives. The brake equipment and brake cylinders of each DMU or MU locomotive shall be cleaned, repaired, and tested, and the filtering devices or dirt collectors located in the main reservoir supply line to the air brake system cleaned, repaired, or replaced in accordance with the following schedule:

(1) At intervals that do not exceed 736 days if the DMU or MU locomotive is part of a fleet that is not 100 percent equipped with air dryers;

(2) At intervals that do not exceed 1,104 days if the DMU or MU locomotive is part of a fleet that is 100 percent equipped with air dryers and is equipped with a brake system not listed in paragraphs (b)(3) through (7) of this section;

(3) At intervals that do not exceed 1,472 days if the DMU or MU locomotive is part of a fleet that is 100 percent equipped with air dryers and is equipped with a PS-68, 26-C, 26-L, PS-90, CS-1, RT-2, RT-5A, GRB-1, CS-2, or 26-R brake system (26 type brake system) (This listing of brake system types is intended to subsume all brake systems using 26 type, 6N, MC30, ABD, or ABDW control valves and PS68, PS-90, 26B-1, 26C, 26CE, 26-B1, 30CDW, or 30ECDW engineer's brake valves.);

(4) At intervals that do not exceed 1,840 days if the DMU or MU locomotive is equipped with a KB-HL1, KB-HS1, or EPIC 1 (formerly EPIC 3102) brake system;

(5) At intervals that do not exceed 2,944 days if the DMU or MU locomotive is equipped with an EPIC 3102(D2) or EPIC 2 brake system;

(6) At intervals that do not exceed 3,128 days if the DMU or MU locomotive is equipped with a CCB-1 brake system; or

(7) At intervals that do not exceed 3,680 days if the DMU or MU locomotive is equipped with a CT-1, CCB-2, CCB-26, or Fastbrake brake system.

(c) Conventional locomotives. The brake equipment of each conventional locomotive shall be cleaned, repaired, and tested in accordance with the schedule provided in § 229.29 of this chapter.

(d) Passenger coaches and other unpowered vehicles. The brake equipment on each passenger coach and each unpowered vehicle used in a passenger train shall be cleaned, repaired, and tested in accordance with following schedule:

(1) At intervals that do not exceed 1,104 days for a coach or vehicle equipped with a brake system not specifically identified in paragraphs (d)(2) through (4) of this section;

(2) At intervals that do not exceed 1,472 days for a coach or vehicle equipped with a 26 type brake system listed in paragraph (b)(3) of this section or equivalent brake system;

(3) At intervals that do not exceed 2,208 days for a coach or vehicle equipped with an AB type brake system;

(4) At intervals that do not exceed 2,944 days for a coach or vehicle equipped with EE-26 (26-C emulation brake system) or any locomotive EAB control valve listed in paragraphs (b)(5) through (7) of this section when used for brake cylinder control only; or

(5) At intervals that do not exceed 3,680 days for a coach or vehicle equipped with EE-26 (26-C emulation brake system), or any locomotive EAB control valve listed in paragraphs (b)(5) through (7) of this section when used for brake cylinder control only and operated in a fleet where continuous brake operational health information is displayed to the train operator.

(e) Cab cars. The brake equipment of each cab car shall be cleaned, repaired, and tested in accordance with the following schedule:

(1) At intervals that do not exceed 736 days for all types of a cab car brake system not specifically identified in paragraphs (e)(2) through (6) of this section;

(2) At intervals that do not exceed 1,472 days for a cab car brake system equipped with 26 type brake valves listed in paragraph (b)(3) of this section;

(3) At intervals that do not exceed 1,840 days for a cab car equipped with a KB-HL1, KB-HS1, KB-CT1, or EPIC 1 (formerly EPIC 3102) brake system;

(4) At intervals that do not exceed 2,944 days for a cab car equipped with an EPIC 3102(D2) or EPIC 2 brake system;

(5) At intervals that do not exceed 3,128 days for a cab car equipped with a CCB-1 brake system; or

(6) At intervals that do not exceed 3,680 days for a cab car equipped with a CT-1, CCB-2, CCB-26, or Fastbrake brake system.

(f) Moisture discharge or removal system maintenance. Automatic drain valve and air dryer maintenance. All systems for the discharge or removal of moisture, such as automatic drain valves and air dryers, must be maintained to function as intended.

(g) Air compressor maintenance. The air compressor (if equipped) must be maintained to function as intended with emphasis on detection and elimination of oil contamination of the main reservoir air.

(h) Records of periodic maintenance. (1) The date and place of the cleaning, repairing, and testing required by this section shall be recorded on Form FRA 6180-49A or a similar form developed by the railroad containing the same information, and the person performing the work and that person's supervisor shall sign or mark the form with a unique employee identifier, if possible. Alternatively, the railroad may stencil the vehicle with the date and place of the cleaning, repairing, and testing and maintain an electronic record of the person performing the work and that person's supervisor.

(2) A record of the parts of the air brake system that are cleaned, repaired, and tested shall be kept in the railroad's files, the cab of the locomotive, or a designated location in the passenger car until the next such periodic test is performed.

[64 FR 25660, May 12, 1999, as amended at 65 FR 41309, July 3, 2000; 77 FR 21357, Apr. 9, 2012; 91 FR 55783, Aug. 31, 2026]