49 C.F.R. § 236.1003

Current through November 30, 2024
Section 236.1003 - Definitions
(a) Definitions contained in subparts G and H of this part apply equally to this subpart.
(b) The following definitions apply to terms used only in this subpart unless otherwise stated:

After-arrival mandatory directive means an authority to occupy a track which is issued to a train that is not effective and not to be acted upon until after the arrival and passing of a train, or trains, specifically identified in the authority.

Associate Administrator means the FRA Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety/Chief Safety Officer.

Class I railroad means a railroad which in the last year for which revenues were reported exceeded the threshold established under regulations of the Surface Transportation Board ( 49 CFR part 1201.1-1 (2008)).

Cleartext means the un-encrypted text in its original, human readable, form. It is the input of an encryption or encipher process, and the output of an decryption or decipher process.

Controlling locomotive means Locomotive, controlling, as defined in § 232.5 of this chapter.

Cut out means any disabling of a PTC system, subsystem, or component en route (including when the PTC system cuts out on its own or a person cuts out the system with authorization), unless the cut out was necessary to exit PTC-governed territory and enter non-PTC territory.

Host railroad means a railroad that has effective operating control over a segment of track.

Initialization failure means any instance when a PTC system fails to activate on a locomotive or train, unless the PTC system successfully activates during a subsequent attempt in the same location or before entering PTC-governed territory. For the types of PTC systems that do not initialize by design, a failed departure test is considered an initialization failure for purposes of the reporting requirement under § 236.1029(h) , unless the PTC system successfully passes the departure test during a subsequent attempt in the same location or before entering PTC-governed territory.

Interoperability means the ability of a controlling locomotive to communicate with and respond to the PTC railroad's positive train control system, including uninterrupted movements over property boundaries.

Limited operations means operations on main line track that have limited or no freight operations and are approved to be excluded from this subpart's PTC system implementation and operation requirements in accordance with § 236.1019(c) ;

Main line means, except as provided in § 236.1019 or where all trains are limited to restricted speed within a yard or terminal area or on auxiliary or industry tracks, a segment or route of railroad tracks:

(1) Of a Class I railroad, as documented in current timetables filed by the Class I railroad with the FRA under § 217.7 of this title, over which 5,000,000 or more gross tons of railroad traffic is transported annually; or
(2) Used for regularly scheduled intercity or commuter rail passenger service, as defined in 49 U.S.C. 24102 , or both. Tourist, scenic, historic, or excursion operations as defined in part 238 of this chapter are not considered intercity or commuter passenger service for purposes of this part.

Main line track exclusion addendum ("MTEA") means the document submitted under §§ 236.1011 and 236.1019 requesting to designate track as other than main line.

Malfunction means any instance when a PTC system, subsystem, or component fails to perform the functions mandated under 49 U.S.C. 20157(i)(5) , this subpart, or the applicable host railroad's PTCSP.

Medium speed means, Speed, medium, as defined in subpart G of this part.

NPI means a Notice of Product Intent ("NPI") as further described in § 236.1013 .

PIH materials means materials poisonous by inhalation, as defined in §§ 171.8 , 173.115 , and 173.132 of this title.

PTC means positive train control as further described in § 236.1005 .

PTCDP means a PTC Development Plan as further described in § 236.1013 .

PTCIP means a PTC Implementation Plan as required under 49 U.S.C. 20157 and further described in § 236.1011 .

PTCPVL means a PTC Product Vendor List as further described in § 236.1023 .

PTCSP means a PTC Safety Plan as further described in § 236.1015 .

PTC railroad means each Class I railroad and each entity providing regularly scheduled intercity or commuter rail passenger transportation required to implement or operate a PTC system.

PTC System Certification means certification as required under 49 U.S.C. 20157 and further described in §§ 236.1009 and 236.1015 .

Request for Amendment ("RFA") means a request for an amendment of a plan or system made by a PTC railroad in accordance with § 236.1021 .

Request for Expedited Certification ("REC") means, as further described in § 236.1031 , a request by a railroad to receive expedited consideration for PTC System Certification.

Restricted speed means, Speed, restricted, as defined in subpart G of this part.

Safe State means a system state that, when the system fails, cannot cause death, injury, occupational illness, or damage to or loss of equipment or property, or damage to the environment.

Segment of track means any part of the railroad where a train operates.

Temporal separation means that passenger and freight operations do not operate on any segment of shared track during the same period and as further defined under § 236.1019 and the process or processes in place to assure that result.

Tenant railroad means a railroad, other than a host railroad, operating on track upon which a PTC system is required.

Track segment means segment of track.

Type Approval means a number assigned to a particular PTC system indicating FRA agreement that the PTC system could fulfill the requirements of this subpart.

Train means one or more locomotives, coupled with or without cars.

49 C.F.R. §236.1003

75 FR 2699 , Jan. 15, 2010, as amended at 77 FR 28305 , May 14, 2012; 79 FR 49716 , Aug. 22, 2014; 86 FR 40180 , July 27, 2021
86 FR 40180 , 8/26/2021