Regulatory Relief for End of Car Cushioning Units

FRA proposes to amend regulations concerning freight car draft arrangement and end-of-car cushioning units (EOCCs) to make regulatory relief now provided by waiver permanent. The amendments would allow a freight car to remain in service if the EOCC is operative and equipped with a unit condition indicator (UCI) that indicates a non-discharged EOCC. This change would permit those EOCCs to remain in service despite the presence of clearly formed oil droplets on the unit. The amendments, if finalized, preserve the requirement to repair or replace an EOCC with clearly formed oil droplets if the unit does not have a UCI.