All passenger equipment placed in service for the first time on or after September 8, 2000 shall have a coupler carrier at each end designed to resist a vertical downward thrust from the coupler shank of 100,000 pounds for any normal horizontal position of the coupler, without permanent deformation. For passenger equipment that is connected by articulated joints that comply with the requirements of Sec. 238.205(a), such passenger equipment also complies with the requirements of this section.