(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, the position in a train of each loaded placarded car, transport vehicle, freight container, and bulk packaging must conform to the provisions of this section.
(b) A car placarded ``RADIOACTIVE'' must comply with train positioning requirements of paragraph (d) of this section and must be separated from a locomotive, occupied caboose, or carload of undeveloped film by at least one non-placarded car.
(c) A tank car containing the residue of a hazardous material must be separated from a locomotive or occupied caboose by at least one rail car other than a placarded tank car.
(d) Position of rail cars in a train. In the following table:
Position in Train of Placarded Cars Transporting Hazardous Materials----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Placard Group Placard Group 2 Placard Group 3 Placard
1 -------------------------------------------------- Group 4
RESTRICTIONS --------------- -------------
Rail Car Tank Car Rail Car Tank Car Rail Car Rail Car----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. When train length permits, X X ........... X
placarded car may not be nearer
than the sixth car from the
engine or occupied caboose.2. When train length does not X X ........... X
permit, placarded car must be
placed near the middle of the
train, but not nearer than the
second car from an engine or
occupied caboose.3. A placarded car may not be X X ........... X
placed next to an open-top car
when any of the lading in the
open top car protrudes beyond
the car ends, or if the lading
shifted, would protrude beyond
the car ends..
4. A placarded car may not be X X ........... X
placed next to a loaded flat
car, except closed TOFC/COFC
equipment, auto carriers, and
other specially equipped cars
with tie-down devices for
securing vehicles. Permanent
bulk head flat cars are
considered the same as open-top
cars.5. A placarded car may not be X X ........... X
placed next to any transport
vehicle or freight container
having an internal combustion
engine or an open-flame device
in operation..6. Placarded cars may not be
placed next to each other based
on the following:
Placard Group 1.............. ............. X X X X X
Placard Group 2.............. X ........... ........... X X X
Placard Group 3.............. X X X .......... .......... X
Placard Group 4.............. X X X X X----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PLACARD GROUP:Group 1--Divisions 1.1 and 1.2 (explosive) materials.Group 2--Divisions 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 (explosive), Class 2 (compressed gas; other than Div 2.3, PG I, Zone A), Class
3 (flammable liquid), Class 4 (flammable solid), Class 5 (oxidizing), Class 6 (poisonous liquid; other than
Div 6.1, PG I, Zone A), and Class 8 (corrosive) materials.Group 3--Divisions 2.3 (Zone A; poisonous gas) and 6.1 (PG I, Zone A; poisonous liquid) materials.Group 4--Class 7 (radioactive) materials.
(1) Where an ``X'' appears at the intersection of a Placard Group column and a Restriction row, the corresponding restriction applies.
(2) ``Rail Car'' means a car other than a tank car.
(3) For purposes of this subpart, each unit of an articulated intermodal rail car shall be considered as one car. [Amdt. 174-68, 55 FR 52680, Dec. 21, 1990, as amended at 57 FR 45464, Oct. 1, 1992; Amdt. 174-83, 61 FR 28678, June 5, 1996; Amdt.174-83, 61 FR 50255, Sept. 25, 1996; Amdt. 174-83, 61 FR 51339, Oct. 1, 1996; 64 FR 51919, Sept. 27, 1999; 66 FR 45383, Aug. 28, 2001]