Public Utilities Commission of the
State of California

REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE CONSTRUCTION, RECONSTRUCTION, AND MAINTENANCE OF WALKWAYS ADJACENT TO RAILROAD TRACKAGE AND THE CONTROL OF VEGETATION ADJACENT THERETO.

1. IT IS ORDERED by the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California that e Each railroad corporation operating in the State of California shall file with the Consumer Protection and Safety Division's Railroad Operations and Safety Branch Rail Carrier Branch its standards for the construction, reconstruction and for the subsequent maintenance of walkways adjacent to its tracks as hereinafter required and any future changes or revisions thereof in accordance with the following provisions and shall hereafter, in the construction and reconstruction of its tracks and walkways, observe its standards filed with the Commission in accordance with the provisions of this General 0Order.:

1. The standards of each railroad corporation operating in the State of California for the contruction or reconstruction of walkways adjacent to its tracks shall be filed with the Commission for its approval not later than thirty days after the effective date of this order.

2. Each railroad corporation operating in the State of California shall file with the Commission Consumer Protection and Safety Division's Railroad Operations and Safety Branch any change or reissue of its standards for the construction and reconstruction of walkways adjacent to its tracks. No change or reissue of any such standard shall become effective less than five days after approval thereof by the Commission. If the Commission does not approve or disapprove any standard, change or reissue within 60 days sixty days after the filing thereof, the change or reissue shall be deemed to be approved. Any changes to the standards shall be reflected in the General Order and staff will publish the final revised General Order within 30 days of the effective date of the changes. If the Commission disapproves a proposed standard within the 60-day sixty day period, the railroad or railroads submitting such standard may file formal application thereafter to the Commission for approval of said standard.

3. The standards of each railroad corporation shall contain provisions for reasonably safe and adequate walkways adjacent to its tracks in all switching areas, and shall provide that all such walkways shall be maintained and kept reasonably free from vegetation as may be appropriate to prevailing conditions, and shall provide for abatement of weeds and brush adjacent to walkways as necessary to prevent the growth of objectionable vegetation encroaching upon such walkways.

4. Each railroad corporation shall furnish the Commission Consumer Protection and Safety Division's Railroad Operations and Safety Branch with the name and address of an appropriate general officer, or officers, to whom complaints relating to the provision and maintenance of walkways pursuant to this order may be reported.

5. The Commission, after hearing, may order the railroad corporation to eliminate any unsafe walkway condition and may specify such reasonable time within which the improvement shall be completed as may be appropriate under the circumstances.

6. Each railroad corporation operating within the State shall pursue a program of improvement of walkways in all switching areas where a substantial amount of switching is performed, along its main, branch and industrial trackage toward substantial conformity with its standards filed with the Commission pursuant to this General Oorders.

7. Deviations from the filed standards set forth herein or the provisions of this General Oorder may be authorized by the Commission for any specific installation for good cause upon application by a railroad corporation; which application shall include a full statement of the conditions which prevail at the time and place involved, and reasons why deviation is deemed necessary.

This order shall be effective April 29, 1963.

Approved and dated at San Francisco, California, this 9th day of April 1963.

PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

By: R. J. PAJALICH, Secretary

Public Utilities Commission of the

State of California

Standards Filed by Carriers Subject, to General Order 118

STANDARDS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF WALKWAYS AND MAINTENANCE THEREOF

8. Reconstruction shall mean the use of more than 50% of material such as ties, ballast or fill or more than 50% of the current capital cost of the improvement.

9. Where such standards would be in conflict with General Order 26-D, the provisions of General Order 26-D shall apply.

10. These standards shall not be applicable to:

(1a Tracks in streets or tunnels, existing bridges, grade separation structures, ferry slips, road crossings, trestles, cattle guards, tracks adjacent to walks, abutments, platforms, pillars and structures where minimum widths are otherwise provided for in General Order 26-D.

(2b) Within cities, towns, populated or congested areas where in-sufficient width of right of way is available, except these standards shall apply to the full width of the right of way available.

(3c) During periods of heavy rain or snow, derailments, rock and earth slides, and other abnormal periods, including reasonable duration of time after return to normal to permit necessary restoration.

11. Walkways shall provide a reasonable regular surface with gradual slope not to exceed approximately one inch to eight inches.

12. Where crushed material is used for walkway surfaces adjacent to tracks in railway switching yards, 100% of the material must be capable of passing through a 1 ½ inch square sieve opening and 90-100% of the material must be capable of passing through a 1-inch square sieve opening; provided, however, that a de minimis variation of this standard shall not be a violation where the railroad has made a good-faith effort to comply. This standard does not apply in emergencies.

13. The provisions of Paragraph 12 apply only to walkways adjacent to tracks within switching yards where employees are regularly on the ground to perform their normal trackside duties, which includes walkways adjacent to mainline tracks within switching yards where Standard No. 3 and Standard No. 5 apply.  Otherwise, the provisions of Paragraph 12 do not apply to walkways adjacent to mainline tracks in yards or to tracks outside of yards.  The provisions of this paragraph apply independently of the requirements for walkway surfaces set forth in Paragraph 11

14. The provisions of Paragraph 12 apply only at locations owned or controlled by a railroad corporation at the time that walkway materials are applied.

15. The provisions of Paragraph 12 apply only to walkway materials applied on or after November 1, 2009.

16. Railroad employees are not limited in their ability to use any procedures that may otherwise be available to pursue complaints regarding walkway conditions, including the size of crushed materials used at locations other than those covered by the provisions of Paragraph 12.

(END OF ATTACHMENT A)

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