Section 296-54-59720. Railroad operations.

(1) Employees must report accidents, detention of trains or speeders, failure in supply of fuel or water, defects in track, bridges, or signals to the supervisor by the quickest possible method.

(2) Any logging railroad may maintain a special set of operating rules applicable to their logging operation, provided that said rules are acceptable to the department of labor and industries.

(3) Each logging railroad operation with more than one piece of railroad equipment in operation, must have a dispatcher on duty. All equipment must receive clearance from the dispatcher.

(4) Train crew size must be based on the number of persons needed to safely operate the train under all prevailing conditions. When necessary to set hand brakes, two or more persons must be assigned to set the brakes and to give signals.

(5) All locomotives must be equipped with sanding devices for both rails, front and rear, in proper working order. Clean, dry sand should be used.

(6) Locomotives must be equipped with power brakes (air or steam) on all driving wheels. Tenders must also have power brakes.

(7) All locomotives and speeders, operating between sunset and sunrise or other periods of reduced visibility, must be equipped with and use head lights that shine in the direction of travel. The lights must be bright enough so the train can be stopped within range of the light beam. Cab lights must be provided and maintained so the operators can see from their required positions the gauges and equipment necessary for operation.

(8) All locomotives must be equipped with proper grab irons, hand holds, steps, and running boards.

(9) All locomotives must be equipped with automatic couplers, suitable for low or high draw-bars.

(10) On all rolling stock, wheels with sharp or badly worn flanges, must be replaced. Avoid using flat wheels.

(11) All locomotives with tender must have an apron of proper length and width to ensure safety. The apron must be roughened to ensure secure footing.

(12) Handholds and footboards must be provided on locomotive cranes, except where the cab overhangs the end of the car.

(13) Trains and speeders must not exceed a safe speed.

(14) The trainmen must test the air brakes before leaving the terminal. Enginemen must not proceed until they are satisfied by brake action that the brakes are able to control the train.

(15) All of the cars in a train must have brakes in good operating condition.

(16) On railroads where joint logging operations of two or more firms are necessary, trains must be dispatched at least fifteen minutes apart. Red lights must be displayed on the rear of such trains at night or when visibility is poor.

(17) Whenever cars are left on grades, derailers must be provided. Derail signs must be placed near derailers. In setting out equipment, care must be used in seeing that proper clearance is provided.

(18) Standard pressure for mountain grades requires a pressure of ninety pounds in train pipe, one hundred ten pounds in main reservoirs (low pressure) and one hundred thirty pounds in high pressure to ensure quick releasing of brakes and recharging of auxiliaries. Engineer must see that the engine carries these pressures and that sanders, both forward and rear, are in working order. On all heavy grades the high pressure retaining valve must be used and before train is started from landing, a test of brakes must be made and piston travel adjusted, if necessary, and retaining valves put up. Engineer must start train away from landing slowly, giving wheels a chance to roll before applying brakes and, to avoid skidding of wheels, using sand freely. Brakes should then be applied immediately and released, allowing the retaining valves to hold the train while train pipe and auxiliaries are being recharged. Train speed should be held to the required rate by setting and releasing brakes as it is necessary to control train.

(19) When necessary to leave loads on a pass while switching a side, loads must be left close to the derailer, air set and enough hand brakes set up, before cutting the engine from the train.

(20) The engineer must see the car or signal person when making couplings, giving the train crew enough time to align drawheads and open knuckles of coupler, especially on curves, except when using radios.

(21) Drawbars should not be aligned with the foot while cars or engines are in motion. The train crew must not climb between cars while in motion. Engineers must not drift too close to switches that are to be thrown. The position of switch points should always be observed after throwing switch. The switch lever should be pushed firmly into the notch before leaving the switch. No persons except trainmen, unless authorized, shall ride on engine footboards. Throwing objects from the train or engine while in motion is prohibited. A bell must be rung or whistle blown before moving the locomotive.

(22) Equipment must not be pushed ahead of a locomotive unless a brake tender is on the head car in constant view of the engineer or second brake tender in a position to receive and pass the signal to the engineer.

(23) In addition to air brakes, hand brakes must be provided on all cars and maintained in good working order.

(24) Hand brakes must be easily accessible to brake tenders when cars are loaded. When wheels or staff brakes are used they should be placed on the side opposite the brow log at the dump to prevent their damage when cars are unloaded. All switch throws, walkways, and cleared areas for brake tenders must be on the hand brake side.

(25) All brake hickeys must be made from three-fourths inch hexagon steel (high grade) and be twenty-four inches with a good claw on one end to fit the wheel and a knob on opposite end to prevent slipping from the brakeman's hand.

(26) All railroad trucks and cars, where brakes are set by hand while in motion, must have good footboards and toeboards on the brake end.

(27) A ten-inch bunk block is recommended on all trucks to prevent logs from slipping over block.

(28) All cars other than logging trucks must have hand hold and foot steps to permit employees to get on and off easily and safely.

(29) All cars and trucks regularly operated must have automatic couplers.

(30) Locomotives and cabooses must carry the following equipment:

• 1 red light (lantern type)

• 3 red flags

• At least 3 fuses

(31) When a train stops between telephones, or where the rear of a train extends beyond yard limits, the rear of the train must be properly protected.

(32) A whistle sign board must be placed one thousand two hundred feet from each side of highway crossings.

(33) A rail clamp must be placed to hold cars left on a grade on main line or spurs.

(34) All cars and trucks must be legibly numbered so that those with defects may be reported and taken out of service. Each locomotive, speeder, or other self-propelled vehicles must be numbered, or otherwise made readily identifiable.

(35) All cars used for hauling logs must be equipped with patent stake bunks, or bunks with chock blocks and/or chains, constructed so that the block can be released from the opposite end of the bunk unless solid stakes are used.

(36) All main line trains of more than ten loaded cars must have a caboose at the rear of the train.

(37) All logging operations having both truck roads and railroads must post signs at intersections same as public crossings.

(38) The following engine whistle signals are established as standard and are taken from the American Association of Railroads. The signals prescribed are illustrated by "o" for short sounds and "-" for long sounds. Audible whistle must be sounded when approaching camps, junctions, grade crossings and other prescribed places as required by the American Association of Railroads:

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040 and [49.17].050. WSR 99-17-117, § 296-54-59720, filed 8/18/99, effective 12/1/99.]

RCW 49.17.010, [49.17].040 and [49.17].050. WSR 99-17-117, § 296-54-59720, filed 8/18/99, effective 12/1/99.