Installation, Adjustment, Maintenance and Inspection of Continuous Welded Rail (CWR) (49 CFR 213.119)

Protect your railroad from serious buckling or pull-aparts with this informative course designed for all track maintenance workers who may be responsible for inspection, maintenance or adjustment (de-stressing) of continuous welded rail (CWR). Federal regulations concerning CWR are reviewed (49 CFR 213.119), with the majority of course time spent teaching recommended best practices and processes for working safely with CWR. Participants will learn about CWR behavior, thermal forces, and the importance of proper installation and maintenance of CWR. Please note that this course provides an introduction to CWR concepts only. Railroad Employees and Contractors must be trained per the corresponding railroad’s CWR plan to meet the annual 49 CFR 213.119 training requirements.

This course is divided into eleven modules and includes class exercises and module reviews to ensure each student understands the intent and application of the rules. Modules are:

• Section 1. Introduction
• Section 2. Terms & Definitions
• Section 3. CWR Installation Procedures
• Section 4. Rail Anchoring/Fastening Requirements
• Section 5. Preventative Maintenance on Existing CWR Track
• Section 6. Monitoring Curve Movement Following Surfacing & Lining
• Section 7. Temporary Speed Restrictions
• Section 8. Rail Joint Inspections
• Section 9. Extreme Weather Inspections
• Section 10. Training & Recordkeeping
• Section 11. Conclusion

This course requires 8 hours to complete.

This course is a dynamic, instructor-led program that uses video, animation, class exercises and module reviews to help engage students and improve comprehension and retention. As always, safety is a key focus of the course along with regulatory compliance. Each student is provided with a Student Workbook that they may take with them following the course and use as a quick reference guide once out in the field.

NOTE: The 49 CFR 213.119 course can be customized to include Railroad-specific procedures and policy.