Understanding and Complying with FRA 213 Track Safety Standards

This course will help you:

• Identify what track FRA 213 applies to
• Recognize who is responsible for compliance and who qualifies to be designated to supervise renewal and track inspection.
• Specify classes of track and safe operating speeds
• Know minimum drainage requirements for roadbed and area immediately adjacent to roadbed.
• Understand and be able to calculate some of the aspects of rail gage, alignment, and surface of track, and the elevation of outer rails and speed limitations for curved track.
• Identify various types of rail defects Know what is required in a CWR written plan per FRA rule
• Learn skills helpful in inspecting rail joints, fasteners, turnouts, track crossings, switches and frogs

• Railroad engineers
• Railroad owners, managers and superintendents
• Qualified engineering technicians
• Track supervisors
• Class I, Class II, and Class III Regional Railroads

Origins and Scope of FRA 213

• Scope
• Excepted track
• Responsibilities—qualified persons
• Classes of track
• Measuring under load

The Roadbed

• Drainage
• Vegetation
• Review of the track structure
• Track geometry, gauge, alignment, and curves

Curves, String Lining, and Elevations

• Ballast and crossties
• Gage restraint measuring
• Rail defects
• CWR

Rail Joints and Fasteners

• Turnouts and crossings
• Switches and frogs

Guard Rails

• Derails
• Track inspection

Dave Peterson

Dave is the Program Director for the University of Wisconsin–Madison Railroad Engineering and Operations Program. The program consists of 12 courses conducted annually on topics ranging from introduction to railroad engineering and operations to signaling, bridges, crossings, and traction power. He is also the Department Administrator for Interdisciplinary Professional Programs. Dave has a BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering and an MBA from UW–Madison.

John Zuspan

John Zuspan is President of Track Guy Consultants in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. John started as a track laborer and worked his way up to foreman and director of the track divison at Slattery/Skanska and vice president for Balfour Beatty Rail. He has managed the trackwork, reviewed all design packages, and has had final authority for approval on many large scale projects. John currently leads the National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association’s (NRC) Safety Committee and has led the efforts to produce many safety training DVDs for railroad contractors. He is a dedicated teacher and trainer.