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(n) Securement of unattended equipment. Unattended equipment shall be secured in accordance with the following requirements:
(1) A sufficient number of hand brakes, to be not fewer than one, shall be applied to hold the equipment unless an acceptable alternative method of securement is provided pursuant to paragraph (n)(11)(i) of this section. Railroads shall develop and implement a process or procedure to verify that the applied hand brakes will sufficiently hold the equipment with the air brakes released.
(2) Except for equipment connected to a source of compressed air (e.g., locomotive or ground air source), or as provided under paragraph (n)(11)(ii) of this section, prior to leaving equipment unattended, the brake pipe shall be reduced to zero at a rate that is no less than a service rate reduction, and the brake pipe vented to atmosphere by leaving the angle cock in the open position on the first unit of the equipment left unattended. A train's air brake shall not be depended upon to hold equipment standing unattended (including a locomotive, a car, or a train whether or not locomotive is attached).
(3) Except for distributed power units, the following requirements apply to unattended locomotives:
(i) All hand brakes shall be fully applied on all locomotives in the lead consist of an unattended train.
(ii) All hand brakes shall be fully applied on all locomotives in an unattended locomotive consist outside of a yard.
(iii) At a minimum, the hand brake shall be fully applied on the lead locomotive in an unattended locomotive consist within a yard.
(iv) A railroad shall develop, adopt, and comply with procedures for securing any unattended locomotive required to have a hand brake applied pursuant to paragraph (n)(3)(i) through (iii) of this section when the locomotive is not equipped with an operative hand brake.
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(6)(i) The requirements in paragraph (n)(7) through (8) of this section apply to any freight train or standing freight car or cars that contain:
(i) The requirements in paragraph (n)(7) through (8) of this section apply to any freight train or standing freight car or cars that contain:
(A) Any loaded tank car containing a material poisonous by inhalation as defined in Sec. 171.8 of this title, including anhydrous ammonia (UN 1005) and ammonia solutions (UN 3318); or
(B) Twenty (20) or more loaded tank cars or loaded intermodal portable tanks of any one or any combination of a hazardous material listed in paragraph (n)(6)(i)(A) of this section, or any Division 2.1 (flammable gas), Class 3 (flammable or combustible liquid), Division 1.1 or 1.2 (explosive), or a hazardous substance listed at Sec. 173.31(f)(2) of this title.
(ii) For the purposes of this paragraph, a tank car containing a residue of a hazardous material as defined in Sec. 171.8 of this title is not considered a loaded car.
(7)(i) No equipment described in paragraph (n)(6) of this section shall be left unattended on a main track or siding (except when that main track or siding runs through, or is directly adjacent to a yard) until the railroad has adopted and is complying with a plan identifying specific locations or circumstances when the equipment may be left unattended. The plan shall contain sufficient safety justification for determining when equipment may be left unattended. The railroad must notify FRA when the railroad develops and has in place a plan, or modifies an existing plan, under this provision prior to operating pursuant to the plan. The plan shall be made available to FRA upon request. FRA reserves the right to require modifications to any plan should it determine the plan is not sufficient.
(i) No equipment described in paragraph (n)(6) of this section shall be left unattended on a main track or siding (except when that main track or siding runs through, or is directly adjacent to a yard) until the railroad has adopted and is complying with a plan identifying specific locations or circumstances when the equipment may be left unattended. The plan shall contain sufficient safety justification for determining when equipment may be left unattended. The railroad must notify FRA when the railroad develops and has in place a plan, or modifies an existing plan, under this provision prior to operating pursuant to the plan. The plan shall be made available to FRA upon request. FRA reserves the right to require modifications to any plan should it determine the plan is not sufficient.
(ii) Except as provided in paragraph (n)(8)(iii) of this section, any freight train described in paragraph (n)(6) of this section that is left unattended on a main track or siding that runs through, or is directly adjacent to, a yard shall comply with the requirements contained in paragraphs (n)(8)(i) and (n)(8)(ii) of this section.
(8)(i) Where a freight train or standing freight car or cars as described in paragraph (n)(6) of this section is left unattended on a main track or siding outside of a yard, and not directly adjacent to a yard, an employee responsible for securing the equipment shall verify with another person qualified to make the determination that the equipment is secured in accordance with the railroad's processes and procedures.
(i) Where a freight train or standing freight car or cars as described in paragraph (n)(6) of this section is left unattended on a main track or siding outside of a yard, and not directly adjacent to a yard, an employee responsible for securing the equipment shall verify with another person qualified to make the determination that the equipment is secured in accordance with the railroad's processes and procedures.
(ii) The controlling locomotive cab of a freight train described in paragraph (n)(6) of this section shall be locked on locomotives capable of being locked. If the controlling cab is not capable of being locked, the reverser on the controlling locomotive shall be removed from the control stand and placed in a secured location.
(iii) A locomotive that is left unattended on a main track or siding that runs through, or is directly adjacent to, a yard is excepted from the requirements in (n)(8)(ii) of this section where the locomotive is not equipped with an operative lock and the locomotive has a reverser that cannot be removed from its control stand or has a reverser that is necessary for cold weather operations.
(9) Each railroad shall implement operating rules and practices requiring the job briefing of securement for any activity that will impact or require the securement of any unattended equipment in the course of the work being performed.
(10) Each railroad shall adopt and comply with procedures to ensure that, as soon as safely practicable, a qualified employee verifies the proper securement of any unattended equipment when the railroad has knowledge that a non-railroad emergency responder has been on, under, or between the equipment.
(11) A railroad may adopt and then must comply with alternative securement procedures to do the following:
(i) In lieu of applying hand brakes as required under paragraph (n) of this section, properly maintain and use mechanical securement devices, within their design criteria and as intended within a classification yard or on a repair track.
(ii) In lieu of compliance with the associated requirement in paragraph (n)(2) of this section--and in lieu of applying hand brakes as required under paragraph (n) of this section-- isolate the brake pipe of standing equipment from atmosphere if it:
(A) Initiates an emergency brake application on the equipment;
(B) Closes the angle cock; and
(C) Operates the locomotive or otherwise proceeds directly to the opposite end of the equipment for the sole purpose to either open the angle cock to vent to atmosphere or provide an air source.
(iii) Upon completion of the procedure described in paragraph (n)(11)(ii) of this section, the securement requirements of paragraph (n) of this section shall apply.
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