part 1192—americans with dis- abilities act · pdf file391 architectural and transp....

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Architectural and Transp. Barriers Compliance Board § 1192.2

PART 1192—AMERICANS WITH DIS-ABILITIES ACT (ADA) ACCESSIBIL-ITY GUIDELINES FOR TRANSPOR-TATION VEHICLES

Subpart A—General

Sec.1192.1 Purpose.1192.2 Equivalent facilitation.1192.3 Definitions.1192.4 Miscellaneous instructions.

Subpart B—Buses, Vans and Systems

1192.21 General.1192.23 Mobility aid accessibility.1192.25 Doors, steps and thresholds.1192.27 Priority seating signs.1192.29 Interior circulation, handrails and

stanchions.1192.31 Lighting.1192.33 Fare box.1192.35 Public information system.1192.37 Stop request.1192.39 Destination and route signs.

Subpart C—Rapid Rail Vehicles andSystems

1192.51 General.1192.53 Doorways.1192.55 Priority seating signs.1192.57 Interior circulation, handrails and

stanchions.1192.59 Floor surfaces.1192.61 Public information system.1192.63 Between-car barriers.

Subpart D—Light Rail Vehicles and Systems

1192.71 General.1192.73 Doorways.1192.75 Priority seating signs.1192.77 Interior circulation, handrails and

stanchions.1192.79 Floors, steps and thresholds.1192.81 Lighting.1192.83 Mobility aid accessibility.1192.85 Between-car barriers.1192.87 Public information system.

Subpart E—Commuter Rail Cars andSystems

1192.91 General.1192.93 Doorways.1192.95 Mobility aid accessibility.1192.97 Interior circulation, handrails and

stanchions.1192.99 Floors, steps and thresholds.1192.101 Lighting.1192.103 Public information system.1192.105 Priority seating signs.1192.107 Restrooms.1192.109 Between-car barriers.

Subpart F—Intercity Rail Cars and Systems

1192.111 General.1192.113 Doorways.1192.115 Interior circulation, handrails and

stanchions.1192.117 Floors, steps and thresholds.1192.119 Lighting.1192.121 Public information system.1192.123 Restrooms.1192.125 Mobility aid accessibility.1192.127 Sleeping compartments.

Subpart G—Over-the-Road Buses andSystems

1192.151 General.1192.153 Doors, steps and thresholds.1192.155 Interior circulation, handrails and

stanchions.1192.157 Lighting.1192.159 Mobility aid accessibility. [Re-

served]

Subpart H—Other Vehicles and Systems

1192.171 General.1192.173 Automated guideway transit vehi-

cles and systems.1192.175 High-speed rail cars, monorails and

systems.1192.177 Ferries, excursion boats and other

vessels. [Reserved]1192.179 Trams, similar vehicles and sys-

tems.FIGURES IN PART 1192APPENDIX TO PART 1192—ADVISORY GUIDANCE

AUTHORITY: Americans With DisabilitiesAct of 1990, Pub. L. 101–336, 104 Stat. 370 (42U.S.C. 12204).

SOURCE: 56 FR 45558, Sept. 6, 1991, unlessotherwise noted.

Subpart A—General§ 1192.1 Purpose.

This part provides minimum guide-lines and requirements for accessibilitystandards to be issued by the Depart-ment of Transportation in 49 CFR part37 for transportation vehicles requiredto be accessible by the Americans withDisabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 (42 U.S.C.12101 et seq).

§ 1192.2 Equivalent facilitation.Departures from particular technical

and scoping requirements of theseguidelines by use of other designs andtechnologies are permitted where thealternative designs and technologiesused will provide substantially equiva-lent or greater access to and usability

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of the vehicle. Departures are to beconsidered on a case-by-case basis bythe Department of Transportationunder the procedure set forth in 49 CFR37.7.

§ 1192.3 Definitions.Accessible means, with respect to ve-

hicles covered by this part, compliancewith the provisions of this part.

Automated guideway transit (AGT) sys-tem means a fixed-guideway transpor-tation system which operates withautomated (driverless) individual vehi-cles or multi-car trains. Service maybe on a fixed schedule or in response toa passenger-activated call button. Suchsystems using small, slow moving vehi-cles, often operated in airports andamusement parks, are sometimescalled people movers.

Bus means any of several types ofself-propelled vehicles, other than anover-the-road bus, generally rubbertired, intended for use on city streets,highways, and busways, including butnot limited to minibuses, forty- andthirty-foot transit buses, articulatedbuses, double-deck buses, and electricpowered trolley buses, used to providedesignated or specified public transpor-tation services. Self-propelled, rubbertire vehicles designed to look like an-tique or vintage trolleys or streetcarsare considered buses.

Common wheelchairs and mobility aidsmeans belonging to a class of three orfour wheeled devices, usable indoors,designed for and used by persons withmobility impairments which do not ex-ceed 30 inches in width and 48 inches inlength, measured 2 inches above theground, and do not weigh more than 600pounds when occupied.

Commuter rail car means a rail pas-senger car obtained by a commuter au-thority (as defined by 49 CFR 37.3) foruse in commuter rail transportation.

Commuter rail transportation meansshort-haul rail passenger service oper-ating in metropolitan and suburbanareas, operated by a commuter author-ity, whether within or across the geo-graphical boundaries of a state, usuallycharacterized by reduced fare, multipleride, and commutation tickets and bymorning and evening peak period oper-ations. This term does not includelight or rapid rail transportation.

Demand responsive system means anysystem of transporting individuals, in-cluding the provision of designatedpublic transportation service by publicentities and the provision of transpor-tation service by private entities, in-cluding but not limited to specifiedpublic transportation service, which isnot a fixed route system.

Designated public transportation meanstransportation provided by a public en-tity (other than public school transpor-tation) by bus, rail, or other convey-ance (other than transportation by air-craft or intercity or commuter railtransportation) that provides the gen-eral public with general or special serv-ice, including charter service, on a reg-ular and continuing basis.

Fixed route system means a system oftransporting individuals (other than byaircraft), including the provision ofdesignated public transportation serv-ice by public entities and the provisionof transportation service by private en-tities, including but not limited tospecified public transportation service,on which a vehicle is operated along aprescribed route according to a fixedschedule.

High speed rail means an intercity-type rail service which operates pri-marily on a dedicated guideway ortrack not used, for the most part, byfreight, including, but not limited to,trains on welded rail, magneticallylevitated (maglev) vehicles on a specialguideway, or other advanced tech-nology vehicles, designed to travel atspeeds in excess of those possible onother types of railroads.

Intercity rail passenger car means arail car intended for use by revenuepassengers obtained by the NationalRailroad Passenger Corporation (Am-trak) for use in intercity rail transpor-tation.

Intercity rail transportation meanstransportation provided by Amtrak.

Light rail means a streetcar-type ve-hicle railway operated on city streets,semi-private rights-of-way, or exclu-sive private rights-of-way. Service maybe provided by step-entry vehicles orby level-boarding.

New vehicle means a vehicle which isoffered for sale or lease after manufac-ture without any prior use.

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Over-the-road bus means a vehiclecharacterized by an elevated passengerdeck located over a baggage compart-ment.

Rapid rail means a subway-type tran-sit vehicle railway operated on exclu-sive private rights-of-way with high-level platform stations. Rapid rail mayalso operate on elevated or at-gradelevel track separated from other traf-fic.

Remanufactured vehicle means a vehi-cle which has been structurally re-stored and has had new or rebuiltmajor components installed to extendits service life.

Specified public transportation meanstransportation by bus, rail, or anyother conveyance (other than aircraft)provided by a private entity to the gen-eral public, with general or specialservice (including charter service) on aregular and continuing basis.

Tram means any of several types ofmotor vehicles consisting of a tractorunit, with or without passenger accom-modations, and one or more passengertrailer units, including but not limitedto vehicles providing shuttle service toremote parking areas, between hotelsand other public accommodations, andbetween and within amusement parksand other recreation areas.

Used vehicle means a vehicle withprior use.

§ 1192.4 Miscellaneous instructions.

(a) Dimensional conventions. Dimen-sions that are not noted as minimumor maximum are absolute.

(b) Dimensional tolerances. All dimen-sions are subject to conventional engi-neering tolerances for material prop-erties and field conditions, includingnormal anticipated wear not exceedingaccepted industry-wide standards andpractices.

(c) Notes. The text of these guidelinesdoes not contain notes or footnotes.Additional information, explanations,and advisory materials are located inthe appendix.

(d) General terminology. The termsused in this part shall have the follow-ing meanings:

(1) Comply with means meet one ormore specification of these guidelines.

(2) If or if * * * then denotes a speci-fication that applies only when theconditions described are present.

(3) May denotes an option or alter-native.

(4) Shall denotes a mandatory speci-fication or requirement.

(5) Should denotes an advisory speci-fication or recommendation and is usedonly in the appendix to this part.

Subpart B—Buses, Vans andSystems

§ 1192.21 General.(a) New, used or remanufactured

buses and vans (except over-the-roadbuses covered by subpart G of thispart), to be considered accessible byregulations issued by the Departmentof Transportation in 49 CFR part 37,shall comply with the applicable provi-sions of this subpart.

(b) If portions of the vehicle aremodified in a way that affects or couldaffect accessibility, each such portionshall comply, to the extent practicable,with the applicable provisions of thissubpart. This provision does not re-quire that inaccessible buses be retro-fitted with lifts, ramps or other board-ing devices.

§ 1192.23 Mobility aid accessibility.(a) General. All vehicles covered by

this subpart shall provide a level-change mechanism or boarding device(e.g., lift or ramp) complying withparagraph (b) or (c) of this section andsufficient clearances to permit a wheel-chair or other mobility aid user toreach a securement location. At leasttwo securement locations and devices,complying with paragraph (d) of thissection, shall be provided on vehiclesin excess of 22 feet in length; at leastone securement location and device,complying with paragraph (d) of thissection, shall be provided on vehicles 22feet in length or less.

(b) Vehicle lift—(1) Design load. Thedesign load of the lift shall be at least600 pounds. Working parts, such as ca-bles, pulleys, and shafts, which can beexpected to wear, and upon which thelift depends for support of the load,shall have a safety factor of at leastsix, based on the ultimate strength ofthe material. Nonworking parts, such

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as platform, frame, and attachmenthardware which would not be expectedto wear, shall have a safety factor of atleast three, based on the ultimatestrength of the material.

(2) Controls—(i) Requirements. Thecontrols shall be interlocked with thevehicle brakes, transmission, or door,or shall provide other appropriatemechanisms or systems, to ensure thatthe vehicle cannot be moved when thelift is not stowed and so the lift cannotbe deployed unless the interlocks orsystems are engaged. The lift shall de-ploy to all levels (i.e., ground, curb,and intermediate positions) normallyencountered in the operating environ-ment. Where provided, each control fordeploying, lowering, raising, and stow-ing the lift and lowering the roll-offbarrier shall be of a momentary con-tact type requiring continuous manualpressure by the operator and shall notallow improper lift sequencing whenthe lift platform is occupied. The con-trols shall allow reversal of the lift op-eration sequence, such as raising orlowering a platform that is part waydown, without allowing an occupiedplatform to fold or retract into thestowed position.

(ii) Exception. Where the lift is de-signed to deploy with its long dimen-sion parallel to the vehicle axis andwhich pivots into or out of the vehiclewhile occupied (i.e., rotary lift), the re-quirements of this paragraph prohibit-ing the lift from being stowed while oc-cupied shall not apply if the stowed po-sition is within the passenger compart-ment and the lift is intended to bestowed while occupied.

(3) Emergency operation. The lift shallincorporate an emergency method ofdeploying, lowering to ground levelwith a lift occupant, and raising andstowing the empty lift if the power tothe lift fails. No emergency method,manual or otherwise, shall be capableof being operated in a manner thatcould be hazardous to the lift occupantor to the operator when operated ac-cording to manufacturer’s instructions,and shall not permit the platform to bestowed or folded when occupied, unlessthe lift is a rotary lift and is intendedto be stowed while occupied.

(4) Power or equipment failure. Plat-forms stowed in a vertical position, and

deployed platforms when occupied,shall have provisions to prevent theirdeploying, falling, or folding any fasterthan 12 inches/second or their droppingof an occupant in the event of a singlefailure of any load carrying compo-nent.

(5) Platform barriers. The lift platformshall be equipped with barriers to pre-vent any of the wheels of a wheelchairor mobility aid from rolling off theplatform during its operation. A mov-able barrier or inherent design featureshall prevent a wheelchair or mobilityaid from rolling off the edge closest tothe vehicle until the platform is in itsfully raised position. Each side of thelift platform which extends beyond thevehicle in its raised position shall havea barrier a minimum 11⁄2 inches high.Such barriers shall not interfere withmaneuvering into or out of the aisle.The loading-edge barrier (outer bar-rier) which functions as a loading rampwhen the lift is at ground level, shallbe sufficient when raised or closed, or asupplementary system shall be pro-vided, to prevent a power wheelchair ormobility aid from riding over or defeat-ing it. The outer barrier of the liftshall automatically raise or close, or asupplementary system shall automati-cally engage, and remain raised,closed, or engaged at all times that theplatform is more than 3 inches abovethe roadway or sidewalk and the plat-form is occupied. Alternatively, a bar-rier or system may be raised, lowered,opened, closed, engaged, or disengagedby the lift operator, provided an inter-lock or inherent design feature pre-vents the lift from rising unless thebarrier is raised or closed or the sup-plementary system is engaged.

(6) Platform surface. The platform sur-face shall be free of any protrusionsover 1⁄4 inch high and shall be slip re-sistant. The platform shall have a min-imum clear width of 281⁄2 inches at theplatform, a minimum clear width of 30inches measured from 2 inches abovethe platform surface to 30 inches abovethe platform, and a minimum clearlength of 48 inches measured from 2inches above the surface of the plat-form to 30 inches above the surface ofthe platform. (See Fig. 1)

(7) Platform gaps. Any openings be-tween the platform surface and the

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raised barriers shall not exceed 5⁄8 inchin width. When the platform is at vehi-cle floor height with the inner barrier(if applicable) down or retracted, gapsbetween the forward lift platform edgeand the vehicle floor shall not exceed 1⁄2inch horizontally and 5⁄8 inch verti-cally. Platforms on semi-automaticlifts may have a hand hold not exceed-ing 11⁄2 inches by 41⁄2 inches located be-tween the edge barriers.

(8) Platform entrance ramp. The en-trance ramp, or loading-edge barrierused as a ramp, shall not exceed a slopeof 1:8, measured on level ground, for amaximum rise of 3 inches, and thetransition from roadway or sidewalk toramp may be vertical without edgetreatment up to 1⁄4 inch. Thresholds be-tween 1⁄4 inch and 1⁄2 inch high shall bebeveled with a slope no greater than1:2.

(9) Platform deflection. The lift plat-form (not including the entrance ramp)shall not deflect more than 3 degrees(exclusive of vehicle roll or pitch) inany direction between its unloaded po-sition and its position when loadedwith 600 pounds applied through a 26inch by 26 inch test pallet at the cen-troid of the platform.

(10) Platform movement. No part of theplatform shall move at a rate exceed-ing 6 inches/second during lowering andlifting an occupant, and shall not ex-ceed 12 inches/second during deployingor stowing. This requirement does notapply to the deployment or stowage cy-cles of lifts that are manually deployedor stowed. The maximum platform hor-izontal and vertical acceleration whenoccupied shall be 0.3g.

(11) Boarding direction. The lift shallpermit both inboard and outboard fac-ing of wheelchair and mobility aidusers.

(12) Use by standees. Lifts shall ac-commodate persons using walkers,crutches, canes or braces or who other-wise have difficulty using steps. Theplatform may be marked to indicate apreferred standing position.

(13) Handrails. Platforms on liftsshall be equipped with handrails on twosides, which move in tandem with thelift, and which shall be graspable andprovide support to standees throughoutthe entire lift operation. Handrailsshall have a usable component at least

8 inches long with the lowest portion aminimum 30 inches above the platformand the highest portion a maximum 80inches above the platform. The hand-rails shall be capable of withstanding aforce of 100 pounds concentrated at anypoint on the handrail without perma-nent deformation of the rail or its sup-porting structure. The handrail shallhave a cross-sectional diameter be-tween 11⁄4 inches and 11⁄2 inches or shallprovide an equivalent grasping surface,and have eased edges with corner radiiof not less than 1⁄8 inch. Handrails shallbe placed to provide a minimum 11⁄2inches knuckle clearance from thenearest adjacent surface. Handrailsshall not interfere with wheelchair ormobility aid maneuverability when en-tering or leaving the vehicle.

(c) Vehicle ramp—(1) Design load.Ramps 30 inches or longer shall supporta load of 600 pounds, placed at the cen-troid of the ramp distributed over anarea of 26 inches by 26 inches, with asafety factor of at least 3 based on theultimate strength of the material.Ramps shorter than 30 inches shall sup-port a load of 300 pounds.

(2) Ramp surface. The ramp surfaceshall be continuous and slip resistant;shall not have protrusions from thesurface greater than 1⁄4 inch high; shallhave a clear width of 30 inches; andshall accommodate both four-wheeland three-wheel mobility aids.

(3) Ramp threshold. The transitionfrom roadway or sidewalk and thetransition from vehicle floor to theramp may be vertical without edgetreatment up to 1⁄4 inch. Changes inlevel between 1⁄4 inch and 1⁄2 inch shallbe beveled with a slope no greater than1:2.

(4) Ramp barriers. Each side of theramp shall have barriers at least 2inches high to prevent mobility aidwheels from slipping off.

(5) Slope. Ramps shall have the leastslope practicable and shall not exceed1:4 when deployed to ground level. Ifthe height of the vehicle floor fromwhich the ramp is deployed is 3 inchesor less above a 6-inch curb, a maximumslope of 1:4 is permitted; if the heightof the vehicle floor from which theramp is deployed is 6 inches or less, butgreater than 3 inches, above a 6-inch

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curb, a maximum slope of 1:6 is per-mitted; if the height of the vehiclefloor from which the ramp is deployedis 9 inches or less, but greater than 6inches, above a 6-inch curb, a maxi-mum slope of 1:8 is permitted; if theheight of the vehicle floor from whichthe ramp is deployed is greater than 9inches above a 6-inch curb, a slope of1:12 shall be achieved. Folding or tele-scoping ramps are permitted providedthey meet all structural requirementsof this section.

(6) Attachment. When in use for board-ing or alighting, the ramp shall befirmly attached to the vehicle so thatit is not subject to displacement whenloading or unloading a heavy powermobility aid and that no gap betweenvehicle and ramp exceeds 5⁄8 inch.

(7) Stowage. A compartment, secure-ment system, or other appropriatemethod shall be provided to ensurethat stowed ramps, including portableramps stowed in the passenger area, donot impinge on a passenger’s wheel-chair or mobility aid or pose any haz-ard to passengers in the event of a sud-den stop or maneuver.

(8) Handrails. If provided, handrailsshall allow persons with disabilities tograsp them from outside the vehiclewhile starting to board, and to con-tinue to use them throughout theboarding process, and shall have thetop between 30 inches and 38 inchesabove the ramp surface. The handrailsshall be capable of withstanding a forceof 100 pounds concentrated at any pointon the handrail without permanent de-formation of the rail or its supportingstructure. The handrail shall have across-sectional diameter between 11⁄4inches and 11⁄2 inches or shall providean equivalent grasping surface, andhave eased edges with corner radii ofnot less than 1⁄8 inch. Handrails shallnot interfere with wheelchair or mobil-ity aid maneuverability when enteringor leaving the vehicle.

(d) Securement devices—(1) Design load.Securement systems on vehicles withGVWRs of 30,000 pounds or above, andtheir attachments to such vehicles,shall restrain a force in the forwardlongitudinal direction of up to 2,000pounds per securement leg or clampingmechanism and a minimum of 4,000pounds for each mobility aid. Secure-

ment systems on vehicles with GVWRsof up to 30,000 pounds, and their attach-ments to such vehicles, shall restrain aforce in the forward longitudinal direc-tion of up to 2,500 pounds per secure-ment leg or clamping mechanism and aminimum of 5,000 pounds for each mo-bility aid.

(2) Location and size. The securernentsystem shall be placed as near to theaccessible entrance as practicable andshall have a clear floor area of 30inches by 48 inches. Such space shalladjoin, and may overlap, an accesspath. Not more than 6 inches of the re-quired clear floor space may be accom-modated for footrests under anotherseat provided there is a minimum of 9inches from the floor to the lowest partof the seat overhanging the space. Se-curement areas may have fold-downseats to accommodate other passengerswhen a wheelchair or mobility aid isnot occupying the area, provided theseats, when folded up, do not obstructthe clear floor space required. (See Fig.2)

(3) Mobility aids accommodated. Thesecurement system shall secure com-mon wheelchairs and mobility aids andshall either be automatic or easily at-tached by a person familiar with thesystem and mobility aid and having av-erage dexterity.

(4) Orientation. In vehicles in excessof 22 feet in length, at least one secure-ment device or system required byparagraph (a) of this section shall se-cure the wheelchair or mobility aidfacing toward the front of the vehicle.In vehicles 22 feet in length or less, therequired securement device may securethe wheelchair or mobility aid eitherfacing toward the front of the vehicleor rearward. Additional securement de-vices or systems shall secure thewheelchair or mobility aid facing for-ward or rearward. Where the wheel-chair or mobility aid is secured facingthe rear of the vehicle, a padded barriershall be provided. The padded barriershall extend from a height of 38 inchesfrom the vehicle floor to a height of 56inches from the vehicle floor with awidth of 18 inches, laterally centeredimmediately in back of the seated indi-vidual. Such barriers need not be solidprovided equivalent protection is af-forded.

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(5) Movement. When the wheelchair ormobility aid is secured in accordancewith manufacturer’s instructions, thesecurement system shall limit themovement of an occupied wheelchair ormobility aid to no more than 2 inchesin any direction under normal vehicleoperating conditions.

(6) Stowage. When not being used forsecurement, or when the securementarea can be used by standees, the se-curement system shall not interferewith passenger movement, shall notpresent any hazardous condition, shallbe reasonably protected from vandal-ism, and shall be readily accessed whenneeded for use.

(7) Seat belt and shoulder harness. Foreach wheelchair or mobility aid secure-ment device provided, a passenger seatbelt and shoulder harness, complyingwith all applicable provisions of 49 CFRpart 571, shall also be provided for useby wheelchair or mobility aid users.Such seat belts and shoulder harnessesshall not be used in lieu of a devicewhich secures the wheelchair or mobil-ity aid itself.

§ 1192.25 Doors, steps and thresholds.(a) Slip resistance. All aisles, steps,

floor areas where people walk andfloors in securement locations shallhave slip-resistant surfaces.

(b) Contrast. All step edges, thresh-olds, and the boarding edge of ramps orlift platforms shall have a band ofcolor(s) running the full width of thestep or edge which contrasts from thestep tread and riser, or lift or rampsurface, either light-on-dark or dark-on-light.

(c) Door height. For vehicles in excessof 22 feet in length, the overhead clear-ance between the top of the door open-ing and the raised lift platform, orhighest point of a ramp, shall be a min-imum of 68 inches. For vehicles of 22feet in length or less, the overheadclearance between the top of the dooropening and the raised lift platform, orhighest point of a ramp, shall be a min-imum of 56 inches.

§ 1192.27 Priority seating signs.(a) Each vehicle shall contain sign(s)

which indicate that seats in the frontof the vehicle are priority seats for per-sons with disabilities, and that other

passengers should make such seatsavailable to those who wish to usethem. At least one set of forward-fac-ing seats shall be so designated.

(b) Each securement location shallhave a sign designating it as such.

(c) Characters on signs required byparagraphs (a) and (b) of this sectionshall have a width-to-height ratio be-tween 3:5 and 1:1 and a stroke width-to-height ratio between 1:5 and 1:10, witha minimum character height (using anupper case ‘‘X’’) of 5⁄8 inch, with ‘‘wide’’spacing (generally, the space betweenletters shall be 1⁄16 the height of uppercase letters), and shall contrast withthe background either light-on-dark ordark-on-light.

§ 1192.29 Interior cIrculation, hand-rails and stanchions.

(a) Interior handrails and stanchionsshall permit sufficient turning and ma-neuvering space for wheelchairs andother mobility aids to reach a secure-ment location from the lift or ramp.

(b) Handrails and stanchions shall beprovided in the entrance to the vehiclein a configuration which allows personswith disabilities to grasp such assistsfrom outside the vehicle while startingto board, and to continue using suchassists throughout the boarding andfare collection process. Handrails shallhave a cross-sectional diameter be-tween 11⁄4 inches and 11⁄2 inches or shallprovide an equivalent grasping surface,and have eased edges with corner radiiof not less than 1⁄8 inch. Handrails shallbe placed to provide a minimum 11⁄2inches knuckle clearance from thenearest adjacent surface. Where on-board fare collection devices are usedon vehicles in excess of 22 feet inlength, a horizontal passenger assistshall be located across the front of thevehicle and shall prevent passengersfrom sustaining injuries on the farecollection device or windshield in theevent of a sudden deceleration. With-out restricting the vestibule space, theassist shall provide support for a board-ing passenger from the front doorthrough the boarding procedure. Pas-sengers shall be able to lean againstthe assist for security while payingfares.

(c) For vehicles in excess of 22 feet inlength, overhead handrail(s) shall be

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provided which shall be continuous ex-cept for a gap at the rear doorway.

(d) Handrails and stanchions shall besufficient to permit safe boarding, on-board circulation, seating and standingassistance, and alighting by personswith disabilities.

(e) For vehicles in excess of 22 feet inlength with front-door lifts or ramps,vertical stanchions immediately be-hind the driver shall either terminateat the lower edge of the aisle-facingseats, if applicable, or be ‘‘dog-legged’’so that the floor attachment does notimpede or interfere with wheelchairfootrests. If the driver seat platformmust be passed by a wheelchair or mo-bility aid user entering the vehicle, theplatform, to the maximum extent prac-ticable, shall not extend into the aisleor vestibule beyond the wheel housing.

(f) For vehicles in excess of 22 feet inlength, the minimum interior heightalong the path from the lift to the se-curement location shall be 68 inches.For vehicles of 22 feet in length or less,the minimum interior height from liftto securement location shall be 56inches.

§ 1192.31 Lighting.(a) Any stepwell or doorway imme-

diately adjacent to the driver shallhave, when the door is open, at least 2foot-candles of illumination measuredon the step tread or lift platform.

(b) Other stepwells and doorways, in-cluding doorways in which lifts orramps are installed, shall have, at alltimes, at least 2 foot-candles of illu-mination measured on the step tread,or lift or ramp, when deployed at thevehicle floor level.

(c) The vehicle doorways, includingdoorways in which lifts or ramps areinstalled, shall have outside light(s)which, when the door is open, provideat least 1 foot-candle of illuminationon the street surface for a distance of 3feet perpendicular to all points on thebottom step tread outer edge. Suchlight(s) shall be located below windowlevel and shielded to protect the eyesof entering and exiting passengers.

§ 1192.33 Fare box.Where provided, the farebox shall be

located as far forward as practicableand shall not obstruct traffic in the

vestibule, especially wheelchairs ormobility aids.

§ 1192.35 Public informatIon system.

(a) Vehicles in excess of 22 feet inlength, used in multiple-stop, fixed-route service, shall be equipped with apublic address system permitting thedriver, or recorded or digitized humanspeech messages, to announce stopsand provide other passenger informa-tion within the vehicle.

(b) [Reserved]

§ 1192.37 Stop request.

(a) Where passengers may board oralight at multiple stops at their op-tion, vehicles in excess of 22 feet inlength shall provide controls adjacentto the securement location for request-ing stops and which alerts the driverthat a mobility aid user wishes to dis-embark. Such a system shall provideauditory and visual indications thatthe request has been made.

(b) Controls required by paragraph(a) of this section shall be mounted nohigher than 48 inches and no lowerthan 15 inches above the floor, shall beoperable with one hand and shall notrequire tight grasping, pinching, ortwisting of the wrist. The force re-quired to activate controls shall be nogreater than 5 lbf (22.2 N).

§ 1192.39 Destination and route signs.

(a) Where destination or route infor-mation is displayed on the exterior of avehicle, each vehicle shall have illumi-nated signs on the front and boardingside of the vehicle.

(b) Characters on signs required byparagraph (a) of this section shall havea width-to-height ratio between 3:5 and1:1 and a stroke width-to-height ratiobetween 1:5 and 1:10, with a minimumcharacter height (using an upper case‘‘X’’) of 1 inch for signs on the boardingside and a minimum character heightof 2 inches for front ‘‘headsigns’’, with‘‘wide’’ spacing (generally, the spacebetween letters shall be 1⁄16 the heightof upper case letters), and shall con-trast with the background, either dark-on-light or light-on-dark.

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Subpart C—Rapid Rail Vehiclesand Systems

§ 1192.51 General.(a) New, used and remanufactured

rapid rail vehicles, to be considered ac-cessible by regulations issued by theDepartment of Transportation in 49CFR part 37, shall comply with thissubpart.

(b) If portions of the vehicle aremodified in a way that affects or couldaffect accessibility, each such portionshall comply, to the extent practicable,with the applicable provisions of thissubpart. This provision does not re-quire that inaccessible vehicles be ret-rofitted with lifts, ramps or otherboarding devices.

(c) Existing vehicles which are retro-fitted to comply with the ‘‘one-car-per-train rule’’ of 49 CFR 37.93 shall complywith §§ 1192.55, 1192.57(b), 1192.59 andshall have, in new and key stations, atleast one door complying with§ 1192.53(a)(1), (b) and (d). Removal ofseats is not required. Vehicles pre-viously designed and manufactured inaccordance with the accessibility re-quirements of 49 CFR part 609 or De-partment of Transportation regula-tions implementing section 504 of theRehabilitation Act of 1973 that were ineffect before October 7, 1991, and whichcan be entered and used from stationsin which they are to be operated, maybe used to satisfy the requirements of49 CFR 37.93.

§ 1192.53 Doorways.(a) Clear width. (1) Passenger door-

ways on vehicle sides shall have clearopenings at least 32 inches wide whenopen.

(2) If doorways connecting adjoiningcars in a multi-car train are provided,and if such doorway is connected by anaisle with a minimum clear width of 30inches to one or more spaces wherewheelchair or mobility aid users can beaccommodated, then such doorwayshall have a minimum clear opening of30 inches to permit wheelchair and mo-bility aid users to be evacuated to anadjoining vehicle in an emergency.

(b) Signage. The International Sym-bol of Accessibility shall be displayedon the exterior of accessible vehiclesoperating on an accessible and rapid

rail system unless all vehicles area ac-cessible and are not marked by the ac-cess symbol. (See Fig. 6)

(c) Signals. Auditory and visual warn-ing signals shall be provided to alertpassengers of closing doors.

(d) Coordination with boarding plat-form—(1) Requirements. Where new vehi-cles will operate in new stations, thedesign of vehicles shall be coordinatedwith the boarding platform design suchthat the horizontal gap between eachvehicle door at rest and the platformshall be no greater than 3 inches andthe height of the vehicle floor shall bewithin plus or minus 5⁄8 inch of theplatform height under all normal pas-senger load conditions. Vertical align-ment may be accomplished by vehicleair suspension or other suitable meansof meeting the requirement.

(2) Exception. New vehicles operatingin existing stations may have a floorheight within plus or minus 11⁄2 inchesof the platform height. At key sta-tions, the horizontal gap between atleast one door of each such vehicle andthe platform shall be no greater than 3inches.

(3) Exception. Retrofitted vehiclesshall be coordinated with the platformin new and key stations such that thehorizontal gap shall be no greater than4 inches and the height of the vehiclefloor, under 50% passenger load, shallbe within plus or minus 2 inches of theplatform height.

§ 1192.55 Priority seating sIgns.

(a) Each vehicle shall contain sign(s)which indicate that certain seats arepriority seats for persons with disabil-ities, and that other passengers shouldmake such seats available to those whowish to use them.

(b) Characters on signs required byparagraph (a) of this section shall havea width-to-height ratio between 3:5 and1:1 and a stroke width-to-height ratiobetween 1:5 and 1:10, with a minimumcharacter height (using an upper case‘‘X’’) of 5⁄8 inch, with ‘‘Wide’’ spacing(generally, the space between lettersshall be 1⁄16 the height of upper case let-ters), and shall contrast with the back-ground, either light-on-dark or dark-on-light.

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36 CFR Ch. XI (7–1–97 Edition)§ 1192.57

§ 1192.57 InterIor circulation, hand-rails and stanchions.

(a) Handrails and stanchions shall beprovided to assist safe boarding, on-board circulation, seating and standingassistance, and alighting by personswith disabilities.

(b) Handrails, stanchions, and seatsshall allow a route at least 32 incheswide so that at least two wheelchair ormobility aid users can enter the vehi-cle and position the wheelchairs or mo-bility aids in areas, each having a min-imum clear space of 48 inches by 30inches, which do not unduly restrictmovement of other passengers. Spaceto accommodate wheelchairs and mo-bility aids may be provided within thenormal area used by standees and des-ignation of specific spaces is not re-quired. Particular attention shall begiven to ensuring maximum maneuver-ability immediately inside doors.Ample vertical stanchions from ceilingto seat-back rails shall be provided.Vertical stanchions from ceiling tofloor shall not interfere with wheel-chair or mobility aid user circulationand shall be kept to a minimum in thevicinity of doors.

(c) The diameter or width of the grip-ping surface of handrails and stan-chions shall be 11⁄4 inches to 11⁄2 inchesor provide an equivalent gripping sur-face and shall provide a minimum 11⁄2inches knuckle clearance from thenearest adjacent surface.

§ 1192.59 Floor surfaces.Floor surfaces on aisles, places for

standees, and areas where wheelchairand mobility aid users are to be accom-modated shall be slip-resistant.

§ 1192.61 Public information system.(a)(1) Requirements. Each vehicle shall

be equipped with a public address sys-tem permitting transportation systempersonnel, or recorded or digitizedhuman speech messages, to announcestations and provide other passengerinformation. Alternative systems ordevices which provide equivalent ac-cess are also permitted. Each vehicleoperating in stations having more thanone line or route shall have an externalpublic address system to permit trans-portation system personnel, or re-corded or digitized human speech mes-

sages, to announce train, route, or lineidentification information.

(2) Exception. Where station an-nouncement systems provide informa-tion on arriving trains, an externaltrain speaker is not required.

(b) [Reserved]

§ 1192.63 Between-car barriers.

(a) Requirement. Suitable devices orsystems shall be provided to prevent,deter or warn individuals from inad-vertently stepping off the platform be-tween cars. Acceptable solutions in-clude, but are not limited to, panto-graph gates, chains, motion detectorsor similar devices.

(b) Exception. Between-car barriersare not required where platformscreens are provided which close off theplatform edge and open only whentrains are correctly aligned with thedoors.

Subpart D—Light Rail Vehicles andSystems

§ 1192.71 General.

(a) New, used and remanufacturedlight rail vehicles, to be considered ac-cessible by regulations issued by theDepartment of Transportation in 49CFR part 37, shall comply with thissubpart.

(b)(1) Vehicles intended to be oper-ated solely in light rail systems con-fined entirely to a dedicated right-of-way, and for which all stations or stopsare designed and constructed for reve-nue service after the effective date ofstandards for design and constructionissued pursuant to subpart C of 49 CFRpart 37, shall provide level boardingand shall comply with §§ 1192.73(d)(1)and 1192.85.

(2) Vehicles designed for, and oper-ated on, pedestrian malls, city streets,or other areas where level boarding isnot practicable shall provide waysideor car-borne lifts, mini-high platforms,or other means of access in compliancewith § 1192.83 (b) or (c).

(c) If portions of the vehicle aremodified in a way that affects or couldaffect accessibility, each such portionshall comply, to the extent practicable,with the applicable provisions of this

401


subpart. This provision does not re-quire that inaccessible vehicles be ret-rofitted with lifts, ramps or otherboarding devices.

(d) Existing vehicles retrofitted tocomply with the ‘‘one-car-per-trainrule’’ at 49 CFR 37.93 shall comply with§§ 1192.75, 1192.77(c), 1192.79(a) and1192.83(a) and shall have, in new andkey stations, at least one door whichcomplies with § 1192.73 (a)(1), (b) and(d). Vehicles previously designed andmanufactured in accordance with theaccessibility requirements of 49 CFRpart 609 or Department of Transpor-tation regulations implementing sec-tion 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of1973 that were in effect before October7, 1991, and which can be entered andused from stations in which they are tobe operated, may be used to satisfy therequirements of 49 CFR 37.93.

§ 1192.73 Doorways.(a) Clear width. (1) All passenger door-

ways on vehicle sides shall have mini-mum clear openings of 32 inches whenopen.

(2) If doorways connecting adjoiningcars in a multi-car train are provided,and if such doorway is connected by anaisle with a minimum clear width of 30inches to one or more spaces wherewheelchair or mobility aid users can beaccommodated, then such doorwayshall have a minimum clear opening of30 inches to permit wheelchair and mo-bility aid users to be evacuated to anadjoining vehicle in an emergency.

(b) Signage. The International Sym-bol of Accessibility shall be displayedon the exterior of each vehicle operat-ing on an accessible light rail systemunless all vehicles are accessible andare not marked by the access symbol(See Fig. 6).

(c) Signals. Auditory and visual warn-ing signals shall be provided to alertpassengers of closing doors.

(d) Coordination with boarding plat-form—(1) Requirements. The design oflevel-entry vehicles shall be coordi-nated with the boarding platform ormini-high platform design so that thehorizontal gap between a vehicle atrest and the platform shall be no great-er than 3 inches and the height of thevehicle floor shall be within plus orminus 5⁄8 inch of the platform height.

Vertical alignment may be accom-plished by vehicle air suspension, auto-matic ramps or lifts, or any combina-tion.

(2) Exception. New vehicles operatingin existing stations may have a floorheight within plus or minus 11⁄2 inchesof the platform height. At key sta-tions, the horizontal gap between atleast one door of each such vehicle andthe platform shall be no greater than 3inches.


(4) Exception. Where it is not oper-ationally or structurally practicable tomeet the horizontal or vertical require-ments of paragraphs (d) (1), (2) or (3) ofthis section, platform or vehicle de-vices complying with § 1192.83(b) orplatform or vehicle mounted ramps orbridge plates complying with§ 1192.83(c) shall be provided.

§ 1192.75 Priority seating signs.

(a) Each vehicle shall contain sign(s)which indicate that certain seats arepriority seats for persons with disabil-ities, and that other passengers shouldmake such seats available to those whowish to use them.

(b) Where designated wheelchair ormobility aid seating locations are pro-vided, signs shall indicate the locationand advise other passengers of the needto permit wheelchair and mobility aidusers to occupy them.

(c) Characters on signs required byparagraph (a) or (b) of this sectionshall have a width-to-height ratio be-tween 3:5 and 1:1 and a stroke width-to-height ratio between 1:5 and 1:10, witha minimum character height (using anupper case ‘‘X’’) of 5⁄8 inch, with ‘‘wide’’spacing (generally, the space betweenletters shall be 1⁄16 the height of uppercase letters), and shall contrast withthe background, either light-on-dark ordark-on-light.

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36 CFR Ch. XI (7–1–97 Edition)§ 1192.77

§ 1192.77 Interior circulation, hand-rails and stanchions.

(a) Handrails and stanchions shall besufficient to permit safe boarding, on-board circulation, seating and standingassistance, and alighting by personswith disabilities.

(b) At entrances equipped with steps,handrails and stanchions shall be pro-vided in the entrance to the vehicle ina configuration which allows pas-sengers to grasp such assists from out-side the vehicle while starting toboard, and to continue using suchhandrails or stanchions throughout theboarding process. Handrails shall havea cross-sectional diameter between 11⁄4inches and 11⁄2 inches or shall providean equivalent grasping surface, andhave eased edges with corner radii ofnot less than 1⁄8 inch. Handrails shall beplaced to provide a minimum 11⁄2 inchesknuckle clearance from the nearest ad-jacent surface. Where on-board farecollection devices are used, a hori-zontal passenger assist shall be locatedbetween boarding passengers and thefare collection device and shall preventpassengers from sustaining injuries onthe fare collection device or windshieldin the event of a sudden deceleration.Without restricting the vestibulespace, the assist shall provide supportfor a boarding passenger from the doorthrough the boarding procedure. Pas-sengers shall be able to lean againstthe assist for security while payingfares.

(c) At all doors on level-entry vehi-cles, and at each entrance accessible bylift, ramp, bridge plate or other suit-able means, handrails, stanchions, pas-senger seats, vehicle driver seat plat-forms, and fare boxes, if applicable,shall be located so as to allow a routeat least 32 inches wide so that at leasttwo wheelchair or mobility aid userscan enter the vehicle and position thewheelchairs or mobility aids in areas,each having a minimum clear space of48 inches by 30 inches, which do not un-duly restrict movement of other pas-sengers. Space to accommodate wheel-chairs and mobility aids may be pro-vided within the normal area used bystandees and designation of specificspaces is not required. Particular at-tention shall be given to ensuring max-imum maneuverability immediately

inside doors. Ample vertical stanchionsfrom ceiling to seat-back rails shall beprovided. Vertical stanchions fromceiling to floor shall not interfere withwheelchair or mobility aid circulationand shall be kept to a minimum in thevicinity of accessible doors.

§ 1192.79 Floors, steps and thresholds.(a) Floor surfaces on aisles, step

treads, places for standees, and areaswhere wheelchair and mobility aidusers are to be accommodated shall beslip-resistant.

(b) All thresholds and step edgesshall have a band of color(s) runningthe full width of the step or thresholdwhich contrasts from the step treadand riser or adjacent floor, either light-on-dark or dark-on-light.

§ 1192.81 Lighting.(a) Any stepwell or doorway with a

lift, ramp or bridge plate immediatelyadjacent to the driver shall have, whenthe door is open, at least 2 footcandlesof illumination measured on the steptread or lift platform.

(b) Other stepwells, and doorwayswith lifts, ramps or bridge plates, shallhave, at all times, at least 2 foot-candles of illumination measured onthe step tread or lift or ramp, when de-ployed at the vehicle floor level.

(c) The doorways of vehicles not op-erating at lighted station platformsshall have outside lights which provideat least 1 footcandle of illumination onthe station platform or street surfacefor a distance of 3 feet perpendicular toall points on the bottom step tread.Such lights shall be located below win-dow level and shielded to protect theeyes of entering and exiting pas-sengers.

§ 1192.83 Mobility aid accessibility.(a)(1) General. All new light rail vehi-

cles, other than level entry vehicles,covered by this subpart shall provide alevel-change mechanism or boardingdevice (e.g., lift, ramp or bridge plate)complying with either paragraph (b) or(c) of this section and sufficient clear-ances to permit at least two wheelchairor mobility aid users to reach areas,each with a minimum clear floor spaceof 48 inches by 30 inches, which do notunduly restrict passenger flow. Space

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to accommodate wheelchairs and mo-bility aids may be provided within thenormal area used by standees and des-ignation of specific spaces is not re-quired.

(2) Exception. If lifts, ramps or bridgeplates meeting the requirements of thissection are provided on station plat-forms or other stops, or mini-high plat-forms complying with § 1192.73(d) areprovided, at stations or stops requiredto be accessible by 49 CFR part 37, thevehicle is not required to be equippedwith a car-borne device. Where eachnew vehicle is compatible with a singleplatform-mounted access system or de-vice, additional systems or devices arenot required for each vehicle providedthat the single device could be used toprovide access to each new vehicle ifpassengers using wheelchairs or mobil-ity aids could not be accommodated ona single vehicle.

(b) Vehicle lift—(1) Design load. Thedesign load of the lift shall be at least600 pounds. Working parts, such as ca-bles, pulleys, and shafts, which can beexpected to wear, and upon which thelift depends for support of the load,shall have a safety factor of at leastsix, based on the ultimate strength ofthe material. Nonworking parts, suchas platform, frame, and attachmenthardware which would not be expectedto wear, shall have a safety factor of atleast three, based on the ultimatestrength of the material.

(2) Controls—(i) Requirements. Thecontrols shall be interlocked with thevehicle brakes, propulsion system, ordoor, or shall provide other appropriatemechanisms or systems, to ensure thatthe vehicle cannot be moved when thelift is not stowed and so the lift cannotbe deployed unless the interlocks orsystems are engaged. The lift shall de-ploy to all levels (i.e., ground, curb,and intermediate positions) normallyencountered in the operating environ-ment. Where provided, each control fordeploying, lowering, raising, and stow-ing the lift and lowering the roll-offbarrier shall be of a momentary con-tact type requiring continuous manualpressure by the operator and shall notallow improper lift sequencing whenthe lift platform is occupied. The con-trols shall allow reversal of the lift op-eration sequence, such as raising or

lowering a platform that is part waydown, without allowing an occupiedplatform to fold or retract into thestowed position.

(ii) Exception. Where physical or safe-ty constraints prevent the deploymentat some stops of a lift having its longdimension perpendicular to the vehicleaxis, the transportation entity mayspecify a lift which is designed to de-ploy with its long dimension parallel tothe vehicle axis and which pivots intoor out of the vehicle while occupied(i.e., ‘‘rotary lift’’). The requirementsof paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this sectionprohibiting the lift from being stowedwhile occupied shall not apply to a liftdesign of this type if the stowed posi-tion is within the passenger compart-ment and the lift is intended to bestowed while occupied.

(iii) Exception. The brake or propul-sion system interlocks requirementdoes not apply to a station platformmounted lift provided that a mechani-cal, electrical or other system operatesto ensure that vehicles do not movewhen the lift is in use.

(3) Emergency operation. The lift shallincorporate an emergency method ofdeploying, lowering to ground levelwith a lift occupant, and raising andstowing the empty lift if the power tothe lift fails. No emergency method,manual or otherwise, shall be capableof being operated in a manner thatcould be hazardous to the lift occupantor to the operator when operated ac-cording to manufacturer’s instructions,and shall not permit the platform to bestowed or folded when occupied, unlessthe lift is a rotary lift intended to bestowed while occupied.

(4) Power or equipment failure. Liftplatforms stowed in a vertical position,and deployed platforms when occupied,shall have provisions to prevent theirdeploying, falling, or folding any fasterthan 12 inches/second or their droppingof an occupant in the event of a singlefailure of any load carrying compo-nent.

(5) Platform barriers. The lift platformshall be equipped with barriers to pre-vent any of the wheels of a wheelchairor mobility aid from rolling off the liftduring its operation. A movable barrieror inherent design feature shall pre-vent a wheelchair or mobility aid from

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36 CFR Ch. XI (7–1–97 Edition)§ 1192.83

rolling off the edge closest to the vehi-cle until the lift is in its fully raisedposition. Each side of the lift platformwhich extends beyond the vehicle in itsraised position shall have a barrier aminimum 11⁄2 inches high. Such bar-riers shall not interfere with maneu-vering into or out of the aisle. Theloading-edge barrier (outer barrier)which functions as a loading rampwhen the lift is at ground level, shallbe sufficient when raised or closed, or asupplementary system shall be pro-vided, to prevent a power wheelchair ormobility aid from riding over or defeat-ing it. The outer barrier of the liftshall automatically rise or close, or asupplementary system shall automati-cally engage, and remain raised,closed, or engaged at all times that thelift is more than 3 inches above the sta-tion platform or roadway and the lift isoccupied. Alternatively, a barrier orsystem may be raised, lowered, opened,closed, engaged or disengaged by thelift operator provided an interlock orinherent design feature prevents thelift from rising unless the barrier israised or closed or the supplementarysystem is engaged.

(6) Platform surface. The lift platformsurface shall be free of any protrusionsover 1⁄4 inch high and shall be slip re-sistant. The lift platform shall have aminimum clear width of 281⁄2 inches atthe platform, a minimum clear widthof 30 inches measured from 2 inchesabove the lift platform surface to 30inches above the surface, and a mini-mum clear length of 48 inches meas-ured from 2 inches above the surface ofthe platform to 30 inches above the sur-face. (See Fig. 1)

(7) Platform gaps. Any openings be-tween the lift platform surface and theraised barriers shall not exceed 5⁄8 inchwide. When the lift is at vehicle floorheight with the inner barrier (if appli-cable) down or retracted, gaps betweenthe forward lift platform edge and ve-hicle floor shall not exceed 1⁄2 inchhorizontally and 5⁄8 inch vertically.Platforms on semiautomatic lifts mayhave a hand hold not exceeding 11⁄2inches by 41⁄2 inches located betweenthe edge barriers.

(8) Platform entrance ramp. The en-trance ramp, or loading-edge barrierused as a ramp, shall not exceed a slope

of 1:8 measured on level ground, for amaximum rise of 3 inches, and thetransition from the station platform orroadway to ramp may be vertical with-out edge treatment up to 1⁄4 inch.Thresholds between 1⁄4 inch and 1⁄2 inchhigh shall be beveled with a slope nogreater than 1:2.

(9) Platform deflection. The lift plat-form (not including the entrance ramp)shall not deflect more than 3 degrees(exclusive of vehicle roll) in any direc-tion between its unloaded position andits position when loaded with 600pounds applied through a 26 inch by 26inch test pallet at the centroid of thelift platform.


(11) Boarding direction. The lift shallpermit both inboard and outboard fac-ing of wheelchairs and mobility aids.

(12) Use by standees. Lifts shall ac-commodate persons using walkers,crutches, canes or braces or who other-wise have difficulty using steps. Thelift may be marked to indicate a pre-ferred standing position.

(13) Handrails. Platforms on liftsshall be equipped with handrails, ontwo sides, which move in tandem withthe lift which shall be graspable andprovide support to standees throughoutthe entire lift operation. Handrailsshall have a usable component at least8 inches long with the lowest portion aminimum 30 inches above the platformand the highest portion a maximum 38inches above the platform. The hand-rails shall be capable of withstanding aforce of 100 pounds concentrated at anypoint on the handrail without perma-nent deformation of the rail or its sup-porting structure. Handrails shall havea cross-sectional diameter between 11⁄4inches and 11⁄2 inches or shall providean equivalent grasping surface, andhave eased edges with corner radii ofnot less than 1⁄8 inch. Handrails shall beplaced to provide a minimum 11⁄2 inches

405


knuckle clearance from the nearest ad-jacent surface. Handrails shall notinterfere with wheelchair or mobilityaid maneuverability when entering orleaving the vehicle.

(c) Vehicle ramp or bridge plate—(1) De-sign load. Ramps or bridge plates 30inches or longer shall support a load of600 pounds, placed at the centroid ofthe ramp or bridge plate distributedover an area of 26 inches by 26 inches,with a safety factor of at least 3 basedon the ultimate strength of the mate-rial. Ramps or bridge plates shorterthan 30 inches shall support a load of300 pounds.

(2) Ramp surface. The ramp or bridgeplate surface shall be continuous andslip resistant, shall not have protru-sions from the surface greater than 1⁄4inch, shall have a clear width of 30inches, and shall accommodate bothfour-wheel and three-wheel mobilityaids.

(3) Ramp threshold. The transitionfrom roadway or station platform andthe transition from vehicle floor to theramp or bridge plate may be verticalwithout edge treatment up to 1⁄4 inch.Changes in level between 1⁄4 inch and 1⁄2inch shall be beveled with a slope nogreater than 1:2.

(4) Ramp barriers. Each side of theramp or bridge plate shall have bar-riers at least 2 inches high to preventmobility aid wheels from slipping off.

(5) Slope. Ramps or bridge plates shallhave the least slope practicable. If theheight of the vehicle floor, under 50%passenger load, from which the ramp isdeployed is 3 inches or less above thestation platform a maximum slope of1:4 is permitted; if the height of the ve-hicle floor, under 50% passenger load,from which the ramp is deployed is 6inches or less, but more than 3 inches,above the station platform a maximumslope of 1:6 is permitted; if the heightof the vehicle floor, under 50% pas-senger load, from which the ramp is de-ployed is 9 inches or less, but morethan 6 inches, above the station plat-form a maximum slope of 1:8 is per-mitted; if the height of the vehiclefloor, under 50% passenger load, fromwhich the ramp is deployed is greaterthan 9 inches above the station plat-form a slope of 1:12 shall be achieved.Folding or telescoping ramps are per-

mitted provided they meet all struc-tural requirements of this section.

(6) Attachment—(i) Requirement. Whenin use for boarding or alighting, theramp or bridge plate shall be attachedto the vehicle, or otherwise preventedfrom moving such that it is not subjectto displacement when loading or un-loading a heavy power mobility aid andthat any gaps between vehicle andramp or bridge plate, and station plat-form and ramp or bridge plate, shallnot exceed 5⁄8 inch.

(ii) Exception. Ramps or bridge plateswhich are attached to, and deployedfrom, station platforms are permittedin lieu of vehicle devices provided theymeet the displacement requirements ofparagraph (c)(6)(i) of this section.

(7) Stowage. A compartment, secure-ment system, or other appropriatemethod shall be provided to ensurethat stowed ramps or bridge plates, in-cluding portable ramps or bridge platesstowed in the passenger area, do notimpinge on a passenger’s wheelchair ormobility aid or pose any hazard to pas-sengers in the event of a sudden stop.

(8) Handrails. If provided, handrailsshall allow persons with disabilities tograsp them from outside the vehiclewhile starting to board, and to con-tinue to use them throughout theboarding process, and shall have thetop between 30 inches and 38 inchesabove the ramp surface. The handrailsshall be capable of withstanding a forceof 100 pounds concentrated at any pointon the handrail without permanent de-formation of the rail or its supportingstructure. The handrail shall have across-sectional diameter between 11⁄4inches and 11⁄2 inches or shall providean equivalent grasping surface, andhave eased edges with corner radii ofnot less than 1⁄8 inch. Handrails shallnot interfere with wheelchair or mobil-ity aid maneuverability when enteringor leaving the vehicle.


Where vehicles operate in a high-platform, level-boarding mode, devicesor systems shall be provided to pre-vent, deter or warn individuals from in-advertently stepping off the platform

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36 CFR Ch. XI (7–1–97 Edition)§ 1192.87

between cars. Appropriate devices in-clude, but are not limited to, panto-graph gates, chains, motion detectorsor other suitable devices.

§ 1192.87 Public information system.(a) Each vehicle shall be equipped

with an interior public address systempermitting transportation system per-sonnel, or recorded or digitized humanspeech messages, to announce stationsand provide other passenger informa-tion. Alternative systems or deviceswhich provide equivalent access arealso permitted.

(b) [Reserved]

Subpart E—Commuter Rail Carsand Systems


commuter rail cars, to be consideredaccessible by regulations issued by theDepartment of Transportation in 49CFR part 37, shall comply with thissubpart.

(b) If portions of the car are modifiedin such a way that it affects or couldaffect accessibility, each such portionshall comply, to the extent practicable,with the applicable provisions of thissubpart. This provision does not re-quire that inaccessible cars be retro-fitted with lifts, ramps or other board-ing devices.

(c)(1) Commuter rail cars shall com-ply with §§ 1192.93(d) and 1192.109 forlevel boarding wherever structurallyand operationally practicable.

(2) Where level boarding is not struc-turally or operationally practicable,commuter rail cars shall comply with§ 1192.95.

(d) Existing vehicles retrofitted tocomply with the ‘‘one-car-per-trainrule’’ at 49 CFR 37.93 shall comply with§§ 1192.93(e), 1192.95(a) and 1192.107 andshall have, in new and key stations, atleast one door on each side from whichpassengers board which complies with§ 1192.93(d). Vehicles previously de-signed and manufactured in accordancewith the program accessibility require-ments of section 504 of the Rehabilita-tion Act of 1973, or implementing regu-lations issued by the Department ofTransportation that were in effect be-fore October 7, 1991, and which can be

entered and used from stations inwhich they are to be operated, may beused to satisfy the requirements of 49CFR 37.93.

§ 1192.93 Doorways.(a) Clear width. (1) At least one door

on each side of the car from which pas-sengers board opening onto stationplatforms and at least one adjacentdoorway into the passenger coach com-partment, if provided, shall have aminimum clear opening of 32 inches.

(2) If doorways connecting adjoiningcars in a multi-car train are provided,and if such doorway is connected by anaisle with a minimum clear width of 30inches to one or more spaces wherewheelchair or mobility aid users can beaccommodated, then such doorwayshall have, to the maximum extentpracticable in accordance with the reg-ulations issued under the Federal Rail-road Safety Act of 1970 (49 CFR parts229 and 231), a clear opening of 30inches.

(b) Passageways. A route at least 32inches wide shall be provided fromdoors required to be accessible by para-graph (a)(1) of this section to seatinglocations complying with § 1192.95(d). Incars where such doorways require pas-sage through a vestibule, such vesti-bule shall have a minimum width of 42inches. (See Fig. 3)

(c) Signals. If doors to the platformclose automatically or from a remotelocation, auditory and visual warningsignals shall be provided to alert pas-sengers of closing doors.

(d) Coordination with boarding plat-form—(1) Requirements. Cars operatingin stations with high platforms, ormini-high platforms, shall be coordi-nated with the boarding platform de-sign such that the horizontal gap be-tween a car at rest and the platformshall be no greater than 3 inches andthe height of the car floor shall bewithin plus or minus 5⁄8 inch of theplatform height. Vertical alignmentmay be accomplished by car air suspen-sion, platform lifts or other devices, orany combination.

(2) Exception. New vehicles operatingin existing stations may have a floorheight within plus or minus 11⁄2 inchesof the platform height. At key sta-tions, the horizontal gap between at

407


least one accessible door of each suchvehicle and the platform shall be nogreater than 3 inches.

(3) Exception. Where platform set-backs do not allow the horizontal gapor vertical alignment specified in para-graph (d) (1) or (2) of this section, car,platform or portable lifts complyingwith § 1192.95(b), or car or platformramps or bridge plates, complying with§ 1192.95(c), shall be provided.


(e) Signage. The International Sym-bol of Accessibility shall be displayedon the exterior of all doors complyingwith this section unless all cars are ac-cessible and are not marked by the ac-cess symbol (See Fig. 6). Appropriatesignage shall also indicate which acces-sible doors are adjacent to an acces-sible restroom, if applicable.

§ 1192.95 Mobility aid accessibility.(a)(1) General. All new commuter rail

cars, other than level entry cars, cov-ered by this subpart shall provide alevel-change mechanism or boardingdevice (e.g., lift, ramp or bridge plate)complying with either paragraph (b) or(c) of this section; sufficient clearancesto permit a wheelchair or mobility aiduser to reach a seating location; and atleast two wheelchair or mobility aidseating locations complying with para-graph (d) of this section.

(2) Exception. If portable or platformlifts, ramps or bridge plates meetingthe applicable requirements of this sec-tion are provided on station platformsor other stops, or mini-high platformscomplying with § 1192.93(d) are pro-vided, at stations or stops required tobe accessible by 49 CFR part 37, the caris not required to be equipped with acar-borne device. Where each new caris compatible with a single platform-mounted access system or device, addi-tional systems or devices are not re-quired for each car provided that thesingle device could be used to provideaccess to each new car if passengersusing wheelchairs or mobility aids

could not be accommodated on a singlecar.

(b) Car Lift—(1) Design load. The de-sign load of the lift shall be at least 600pounds. Working parts, such as cables,pulleys, and shafts, which can be ex-pected to wear, and upon which the liftdepends for support of the load, shallhave a safety factor of at least six,based on the ultimate strength of thematerial. Nonworking parts, such asplatform, frame, and attachment hard-ware which would not be expected towear, shall have a safety factor of atleast three, based on the ultimatestrength of the material.

(2) Controls—(i) Requirements. Thecontrols shall be interlocked with thecar brakes, propulsion system, or door,or shall provide other appropriatemechanisms or systems, to ensure thatthe car cannot be moved when the liftis not stowed and so the lift cannot bedeployed unless the interlocks or sys-tems are engaged. The lift shall deployto all platform levels normally encoun-tered in the operating environment.Where provided, each control for de-ploying, lowering, raising, and stowingthe lift and lowering the roll-off bar-rier shall be of a momentary contacttype requiring continuous manual pres-sure by the operator and shall notallow improper lift sequencing whenthe lift platform is occupied. The con-trols shall allow reversal of the lift op-eration sequence, such as raising orlowering a platform that is part waydown, without allowing an occupiedplatform to fold or retract into thestowed position.

(ii) Exception. Where physical or safe-ty constraints prevent the deploymentat some stops of a lift having its longdimension perpendicular to the caraxis, the transportation entity mayspecify a lift which is designed to de-ploy with its long dimension parallel tothe car axis and which pivots into orout of the car while occupied (i.e., ‘‘ro-tary lift’’). The requirements of para-graph (b)(2)(i) of this section prohibit-ing the lift from being stowed while oc-cupied shall not apply to a lift designof this type if the stowed position iswithin the passenger compartment andthe lift is intended to be stowed whileoccupied.

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36 CFR Ch. XI (7–1–97 Edition)§ 1192.95

(iii) Exception. The brake or propul-sion system interlock requirement doesnot apply to a platform mounted orportable lift provided that a mechani-cal, electrical or other system operatesto ensure that cars do not move whenthe lift is in use.

(3) Emergency operation. The lift shallincorporate an emergency method ofdeploying, lowering to ground or plat-form level with a lift occupant, andraising and stowing the empty lift ifthe power to the lift fails. No emer-gency method, manual or otherwise,shall be capable of being operated in amanner that could be hazardous to thelift occupant or to the operator whenoperated according to manufacturer’sinstructions, and shall not permit theplatform to be stowed or folded whenoccupied, unless the lift is a rotary liftintended to be stowed while occupied.

(4) Power or equipment failure. Plat-forms stowed in a vertical position, anddeployed platforms when occupied,shall have provisions to prevent theirdeploying, falling, or folding any fasterthan 12 inches/second or their droppingof an occupant in the event of a singlefailure of any load carrying compo-nent.

(5) Platform barriers. The lift platformshall be equipped with barriers to pre-vent any of the wheels of a wheelchairor mobility aid from rolling off the liftduring its operation. A movable barrieror inherent design feature shall pre-vent a wheelchair or mobility aid fromrolling off the edge closest to the caruntil the lift is in its fully raised posi-tion. Each side of the lift platformwhich, in its raised position, extendsbeyond the car shall have a barrier aminimum 11⁄2 inches high. Such bar-riers shall not interfere with maneu-vering into or out of the car. The load-ing-edge barrier (outer barrier) whichfunctions as a loading ramp when thelift is at ground or station platformlevel, shall be sufficient when raised orclosed, or a supplementary systemshall be provided, to prevent a powerwheelchair or mobility aid from ridingover or defeating it. The outer barrierof the lift shall automatically rise orclose, or a supplementary system shallautomatically engage, and remainraised, closed, or engaged at all timesthat the lift platform is more than 3

inches above the station platform andthe lift is occupied. Alternatively, abarrier or system may be raised, low-ered, opened, closed, engaged or dis-engaged by the lift operator providedan interlock or inherent design featureprevents the lift from rising unless thebarrier is raised or closed or the sup-plementary system is engaged.

(6) Platform surface. The lift platformsurface shall be free of any protrusionsover 1⁄4 inch high and shall be slip re-sistant. The lift platform shall have aminimum clear width of 281⁄2 inches atthe platform, a minimum clear widthof 30 inches measured from 2 inchesabove the lift platform surface to 30inches above the surface, and a mini-mum clear length of 48 inches meas-ured from 2 inches above the surface ofthe platform to 30 inches above the sur-face. (See Fig. 1)

(7) Platform gaps. Any openings be-tween the lift platform surface and theraised barriers shall not exceed 5⁄8 inchwide. When the lift is at car floorheight with the inner barrier down (ifapplicable) or retracted, gaps betweenthe forward lift platform edge and carfloor shall not exceed 1⁄2 inch hori-zontally and 5⁄8 inch vertically. Plat-forms on semi-automatic lifts mayhave a hand hold not exceeding 11⁄2inches by 41⁄2 inches located betweenthe edge barriers.

(8) Platform entrance ramp. The en-trance ramp, or loading-edge barrierused as a ramp, shall not exceed a slopeof 1:8, when measured on level ground,for a maximum rise of 3 inches, and thetransition from station platform toramp may be vertical without edgetreatment up to 1⁄4 inch. Thresholds be-tween 1⁄4 inch and 1⁄2 inch high shall bebeveled with a slope no greater than1:2.

(9) Platform deflection. The lift plat-form (not including the entrance ramp)shall not deflect more than 3 degrees(exclusive of vehicle roll) in any direc-tion between its unloaded position andits position when loaded with 600pounds applied through a 26 inch by 26inch test pallet at the centroid of thelift platform.

(10) Platform movement. No part of theplatform shall move at a rate exceed-ing 6 inches/second during lowering and

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lifting an occupant, and shall not ex-ceed 12 inches/second during deployingor stowing. This requirement does notapply to the deployment or stowage cy-cles of lifts that are manually deployedor stowed. The maximum platform hor-izontal and vertical acceleration whenoccupied shall be 0.3g.



(13) Handrails. Platforms on liftsshall be equipped with handrails, ontwo sides, which move in tandem withthe lift which shall be graspable andprovide support to standees throughoutthe entire lift operation. Handrailsshall have a usable component at least8 inches long with the lowest portion aminimum 30 inches above the platformand the highest portion a maximum 38inches above the platform. The hand-rails shall be capable of withstanding aforce of 100 pounds concentrated at anypoint on the handrail without perma-nent deformation of the rail or its sup-porting structure. The handrail shallhave a cross-sectional diameter be-tween 11⁄4 inches and 11⁄2 inches or shallprovide an equivalent grasping surface,and have eased edges with corner radiiof not less than 1⁄8 inch. Handrails shallbe placed to provide a minimum 11⁄2inches knuckle clearance from thenearest adjacent surface. Handrailsshall not interfere with wheelchair ormobility aid maneuverability when en-tering or leaving the car.

(c) Car ramp or bridge plate—(1) Designload. Ramps or bridge plates 30 inchesor longer shall support a load of 600pounds, placed at the centroid of theramp or bridge plate distributed overan area of 26 inches by 26 inches, witha safety factor of at least 3 based onthe ultimate strength of the material.Ramps or bridge plates shorter than 30inches shall support a load of 300pounds.

(2) Ramp surface. The ramp or bridgeplate surface shall be continuous andslip resistant, shall not have protru-sions from the surface greater than 1⁄4

inch high, shall have a clear width of 30inches and shall accommodate bothfour-wheel and three-wheel mobilityaids.

(3) Ramp threshold. The transitionfrom station platform to the ramp orbridge plate and the transition fromcar floor to the ramp or bridge platemay be vertical without edge treat-ment up to 1⁄4 inch. Changes in level be-tween 1⁄4 inch and 1⁄2 inch shall be bev-eled with a slope no greater than 1:2.


(5) Slope. Ramps or bridge plates shallhave the least slope practicable. If theheight of the vehicle floor, under 50%passenger load, from which the ramp isdeployed is 3 inches or less above thestation platform a maximum slope of1:4 is permitted; if the height of the ve-hicle floor, under 50% passenger load,from which the ramp is deployed is 6inches or less, but more than 3 inches,above the station platform a maximumslope of 1:6 is permitted; if the heightof the vehicle floor, under 50% pas-senger load, from which the ramp is de-ployed is 9 inches or less, but morethan 6 inches, above the station plat-form a maximum slope of 1:8 is per-mitted; if the height of the vehiclefloor, under 50% passenger load, fromwhich the ramp is deployed is greaterthan 9 inches above the station plat-form a slope of 1:12 shall be achieved.Folding or telescoping ramps are per-mitted provided they meet all struc-tural requirements of this section.

(6) Attachment—(i) Requirement. Whenin use for boarding or alighting, theramp or bridge plate shall be attachedto the vehicle, or otherwise preventedfrom moving such that it is not subjectto displacement when loading or un-loading a heavy power mobility aid andthat any gaps between vehicle andramp or bridge plates, and station plat-form and ramp or bridge plate, shallnot exceed 5⁄8 inch.

(ii) Exception. Ramps or bridge plateswhich are attached to, and deployedfrom, station platforms are permittedin lieu of car devices provided theymeet the displacement requirements ofparagraph (c)(6)(i) of this section.

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36 CFR Ch. XI (7–1–97 Edition)§ 1192.97


(8) Handrails. If provided, handrailsshall allow persons with disabilities tograsp them from outside the car whilestarting to board, and to continue touse them throughout the boardingprocess, and shall have the top between30 inches and 38 inches above the rampsurface. The handrails shall be capableof withstanding a force of 100 poundsconcentrated at any point on the hand-rail without permanent deformation ofthe rail or its supporting structure.The handrail shall have a cross-sec-tional diameter between 11⁄4 inches and11⁄2 inches or shall provide an equiva-lent grasping surface, and have easededges with corner radii of not less than1⁄8 inch. Handrails shall not interferewith wheelchair or mobility aid ma-neuverability when entering or leavingthe car.

(d) Mobility aid seating location.Spaces for persons who wish to remainin their wheelchairs or mobility aidsshall have a minimum clear floor space48 inches by 30 inches. Such spacesshall adjoin, and may overlap, an ac-cessible path. Not more than 6 inchesof the required clear floor space may beaccommodated for footrests under an-other seat provided there is a minimumof 9 inches from the floor to the lowestpart of the seat overhanging the space.Seating spaces may have fold-down orremovable seats to accommodate otherpassengers when a wheelchair or mobil-ity aid user is not occupying the area,provided the seats, when folded up, donot obstruct the clear floor space re-quired. (See Fig. 2)


(a) Where provided, handrails or stan-chions within the passenger compart-ment shall be placed to permit suffi-cient turning and maneuvering spacefor wheelchairs and other mobility aidsto reach a seating location, complyingwith § 1192.95(d), from an accessible en-

trance. The diameter or width of thegripping surface of interior handrailsand stanchions shall be 11⁄4 inches to11⁄2 inches or shall provide an equiva-lent gripping surface. Handrails shallbe placed to provide a minimum 11⁄2inches knuckle clearance from thenearest adjacent surface.

(b) Where provided, handrails or stan-chions shall be sufficient to permit safeboarding, on-board circulation, seatingand standing assistance, and alightingby persons with disabilities.

(c) At entrances equipped with steps,handrails or stanchions shall be pro-vided in the entrance to the car in aconfiguration which allows passengersto grasp such assists from outside thecar while starting to board, and to con-tinue using such assists throughout theboarding process, to the extent per-mitted by 49 CFR part 231.


treads, places for standees, and areaswhere wheelchair and mobility aidusers are to be accommodated shall beslip-resistant.

(b) All thresholds and step edgesshall have a band of color(s) runningthe full width of the step or thresholdwhich contrasts from the step treadand riser or adjacent floor, either light-on-dark or dark-on-light.

§ 1192.101 Lighting.(a) Any stepwell or doorway with a

lift, ramp or bridge plate shall have,when the door is open, at least 2 foot-candles of illumination measured onthe step tread, ramp, bridge plate, orlift platform.

(b) The doorways of cars not operat-ing at lighted station platforms shallhave outside lights which, when thedoor is open, provide at least 1 foot-candle of illumination on the stationplatform surface for a distance of 3 feetperpendicular to all points on the bot-tom step tread edge. Such lights shallbe shielded to protect the eyes of enter-ing and exiting passengers.

§ 1192.103 Public information system.(a) Each car shall be equipped with

an interior public address system per-mitting transportation system person-nel, or recorded or digitized human

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speech messages, to announce stationsand provide other passenger informa-tion. Alternative systems or deviceswhich provide equivalent access arealso permitted.

(b) [Reserved]

§ 1192.105 Priority seating signs.(a) Each car shall contain sign(s)

which indicate that certain seats arepriority seats for persons with disabil-ities and that other passengers shouldmake such seats available to those whowish to use them.

(b) Characters on signs required byparagraph (a) shall have a width-to-height ratio between 3:5 and 1:1 and astroke width-to-height ratio between1:5 and 1:10, with a minimum characterheight (using an upper case ‘‘X’’) of 5⁄8inch, with ‘‘wide’’ spacing (generally,the space between letters shall be 1⁄16

the height of upper case letters), andshall contrast with the background ei-ther light-on-dark or dark-on-light.

§ 1192.107 Restrooms.(a) If a restroom is provided for the

general public, it shall be designed soas to allow a person using a wheelchairor mobility aid to enter and use suchrestroom as specified in paragraphs (a)(1) through (5) of this section.

(1) The minimum clear floor areashall be 35 inches by 60 inches. Perma-nently installed fixtures may overlapthis area a maximum of 6 inches, if thelowest portion of the fixture is a mini-mum of 9 inches above the floor, andmay overlap a maximum of 19 inches, ifthe lowest portion of the fixture is aminimum of 29 inches above the floor,provided such fixtures do not interferewith access to the water closet. Fold-down or retractable seats or shelvesmay overlap the clear floor space at alower height provided they can be eas-ily folded up or moved out of the way.

(2) The height of the water closetshall be 17 inches to 19 inches measuredto the top of the toilet seat. Seats shallnot be sprung to return to a lifted posi-tion.

(3) A grab bar at least 24 inches longshall be mounted behind the watercloset, and a horizontal grab bar atleast 40 inches long shall be mountedon at least one side wall, with one endnot more than 12 inches from the back

wall, at a height between 33 inches and36 inches above the floor.

(4) Faucets and flush controls shallbe operable with one hand and shallnot require tight grasping, pinching, ortwisting of the wrist. The force re-quired to activate controls shall be nogreater than 5 lbf (22.2 N). Controls forflush valves shall be mounted no morethan 44 inches above the floor.

(5) Doorways on the end of the enclo-sure, opposite the water closet, shallhave a minimum clear opening widthof 32 inches. Doorways on the side wallshall have a minimum clear openingwidth of 39 inches. Door latches andhardware shall be operable with onehand and shall not require tight grasp-ing, pinching, or twisting of the wrist.

(b) Restrooms required to be acces-sible shall be in close proximity to atleast one seating location for personsusing mobility aids and shall be con-nected to such a space by an unob-structed path having a minimum widthof 32 inches.


Where vehicles operate in a high-platform, level-boarding mode, andwhere between-car bellows are not pro-vided, devices or systems shall be pro-vided to prevent, deter or warn individ-uals from inadvertently stepping offthe platform between cars. Appropriatedevices include, but are not limited to,pantograph gates, chains, motion de-tectors or other suitable devices.

Subpart F—Intercity Rail Cars andSystems

§ 1192.111 General.

(a) New, used and remanufacturedintercity rail cars, to be considered ac-cessible by regulations issued by theDepartment of Transportation in 49CFR part 37, shall comply with thissubpart to the extent required for eachtype of car as specified below.

(1) Single-level rail passenger coach-es and food service cars (other thansingle-level dining cars) shall complywith §§ 1192.113 through 1192.123. Com-pliance with § 1192.125 shall be requiredonly to the extent necessary to meetthe requirements of paragraph (d) ofthis section.

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36 CFR Ch. XI (7–1–97 Edition)§ 1192.113

(2) Single-level dining and loungecars shall have at least one connectingdoorway complying with § 1192.113(a)(2),connected to a car accessible to per-sons using wheelchairs or mobilityaids, and at least one space complyingwith § 1192.125(d) (2) and (3), to providetable service to a person who wishes toremain in his or her wheelchair, andspace to fold and store a wheelchair fora person who wishes to transfer to anexisting seat.

(3) Bi-level dining cars shall complywith §§ 1192.113(a)(2), 1192.115(b),1192.117(a), and 1192.121.

(4) Bi-level lounge cars shall havedoors on the lower level, on each sideof the car from which passengers board,complying with § 1192.113, a restroomcomplying with § 1192.123, and at leastone space complying with § 1192.125(d)(2) and (3) to provide table service to aperson who wishes to remain in his orher wheelchair and space to fold andstore a wheelchair for a person whowishes to transfer to an existing seat.

(5) Restrooms complying with§ 1192.123 shall be provided in single-level rail passenger coaches and foodservice cars adjacent to the accessibleseating locations required by para-graph (d) of this section. Accessiblerestrooms are required in dining andlounge cars only if restrooms are pro-vided for other passengers.

(6) Sleeper cars shall comply with§§ 1192.113 (b) through (d), 1192.115through 1192.121, and 1192.125, and haveat least one compartment which can beentered and used by a person using awheelchair or mobility aid and comply-ing with § 1192.127.

(b)(1) If physically and operationallypracticable, intercity rail cars shallcomply with § 1192.113(d) for levelboarding.

(2) Where level boarding is not struc-turally or operationally practicable,intercity rail cars shall comply with§ 1192.125.

(c) If portions of the car are modifiedin a way that affects or could affect ac-cessibility, each such portion shallcomply, to the extent practicable, withthe applicable provisions of this sub-part. This provision does not requirethat inaccessible cars be retrofittedwith lifts, ramps or other boarding de-vices.

(d) Passenger coaches or food servicecars shall have the number of spacescomplying with § 1192.125(d)(2) and thenumber of spaces complying with§ 1192.125(d)(3), as required by 49 CFR37.91.

(e) Existing cars retrofitted to meetthe seating requirements of 49 CFR37.91 shall comply with §§ 1192.113(e),1192.123, 1192.125(d) and shall have atleast one door on each side from whichpassengers board complying with§ 1192.113(d). Existing cars designed andmanufactured to be accessible in ac-cordance with Department of Transpor-tation regulations implementing sec-tion 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of1973 that were in effect before October7,1991, shall comply with § 1192.125(a).

§ 1192.113 Doorways.

(a) Clear width. (1) At least one door-way, on each side of the car from whichpassengers board, of each car requiredto be accessible by § 1192.111(a) andwhere the spaces required by§ 1192.111(d) are located, and at leastone adjacent doorway into coach pas-senger compartments shall have a min-imum clear opening width of 32 inches.

(2) Doorways at ends of cars connect-ing two adjacent cars, to the maximumextent practicable in accordance withregulations issued under the FederalRailroad Safety Act of 1970 (49 CFRparts 229 and 231), shall have a clearopening width of 32 inches to permitwheelchair and mobility aid users toenter into a single-level dining car, ifavailable.

(b) Passaway. Doorways required tobe accessible by paragraph (a) of thissection shall permit access by personsusing mobility aids and shall have anunobstructed passageway at least 32inches wide leading to an accessiblesleeping compartment complying with§ 1192.127 or seating locations comply-ing with § 1192.125(d). In cars wheresuch doorways require passage througha vestibule, such vestibule shall have aminimum width of 42 inches. (see Fig.4)

(c) Signals. If doors to the platformclose automatically or from a remotelocation, auditory and visual warningsignals shall be provided to alert pas-sengers of closing doors.

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(d) Coordination with boarding plat-forms—(1) Requirements. Cars which pro-vide level-boarding in stations withhigh platforms shall be coordinatedwith the boarding platform or mini-high platform design such that the hor-izontal gap between a car at rest andthe platform shall be no greater than 3inches and the height of the car floorshall be within plus or minus 5⁄8 inch ofthe platform height. Vertical align-ment may be accomplished by car airsuspension, platform lifts or other de-vices, or any combination.

(2) Exception. New cars operating inexisting stations may have a floorheight within plus or minus 11⁄2 inchesof the platform height.

(3) Exception. Where platform set-backs do not allow the horizontal gapor vertical alignment specified in para-graph (d) (1) or (2) of this section, plat-form or portable lifts complying with§ 1192.125(b), or car or platform bridgeplates, complying with § 1192.125(c),may be provided.

(4) Exception. Retrofitted vehiclesshall be coordinated with the platformin existing stations such that the hori-zontal gap shall be no greater than 4inches and the height of the vehiclefloor, under 50% passenger load, shallbe within plus or minus 2 inches of theplatform height.

(e) Signage. The International Sym-bol of Accessibility shall be displayedon the exterior of all doors complyingwith this section unless all cars anddoors are accessible and are notmarked by the access symbol (see Fig.6). Appropriate signage shall also indi-cate which accessible doors are adja-cent to an accessible restroom, if appli-cable.


(a) Where provided, handrails or stan-chions within the passenger compart-ment shall be placed to permit suffi-cient turning and maneuvering spacefor wheelchairs and other mobility aidsto reach a seating location, complyingwith § 1192.125(d), from an accessible en-trance. The diameter or width of thegripping surface of interior handrailsand stanchions shall be 11⁄4 inches to11⁄2 inches or shall provide an equiva-lent gripping surface. Handrails shall

be placed to provide a minimum 11⁄2inches knuckle clearance from thenearest adjacent surface.

(b) Where provided, handrails andstanchions shall be sufficient to permitsafe boarding, on-board circulation,seating and standing assistance, andalighting by persons with disabilities.

(c) At entrances equipped with steps,handrails or stanchions shall be pro-vided in the entrance to the car in aconfiguration which allows passengersto grasp such assists from outside thecar while starting to board, and to con-tinue using such assists throughout theboarding process, to the extent per-mitted by 49 CFR part 231.


treads and areas where wheelchair andmobility aid users are to be accommo-dated shall be slip-resistant.

(b) All step edges and thresholdsshall have a band of color(s) runningthe full width of the step or thresholdwhich contrasts from the step treadand riser or adjacent floor, either light-on-dark or dark-on-light.

§ 1192.119 Lighting.(a) Any stepwell, or doorway with a

lift, ramp or bridge plate, shall have,when the door is open, at least 2 foot-candles of illumination measured onthe step tread, ramp, bridge plate orlift platform.

(b) The doorways of cars not operat-ing at lighted station platforms shallhave outside lights which, when thedoor is open, provide at least 1 foot-candle of illumination on the stationplatform surface for a distance of 3 feetperpendicular to all points on the bot-tom step tread edge. Such lights shallbe shielded to protect the eyes of enter-ing and exiting passengers.

§ 1192.121 Public information system.(a) Each car shall be equipped with a

public address system permittingtransportation system personnel, or re-corded or digitized human speech mes-sages, to announce stations and pro-vide other passenger information. Al-ternative systems or devices which pro-vide equivalent access are also per-mitted.

(b) [Reserved]

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36 CFR Ch. XI (7–1–97 Edition)§ 1192.123

§ 1192.123 Restrooms.(a) If a restroom is provided for the

general public, and an accessible rest-room is required by § 1192.111 (a) and(e), it shall be designed so as to allowa person using a wheelchair or mobilityaid to enter and use such restroom asspecified in paragraphs (a) (1) through(5) of this section.

(1) The minimum clear floor areashall be 35 inches by 60 inches. Perma-nently installed fixtures may overlapthis area a maximum of 6 inches, if thelowest portion of the fixture is a mini-mum of 9 inches above the floor, andmay overlap a maximum of 19 inches, ifthe lowest portion of the fixture is aminimum of 29 inches above the floor.Fixtures shall not interfere with accessto and use of the water closet. Fold-down or retractable seats or shelvesmay overlap the clear floor space at alower height provided they can be eas-ily folded up or moved out of the way.

(2) The height of the water closetshall be 17 inches to 19 inches measuredto the top of the toilet seat. Seats shallnot be sprung to return to a lifted posi-tion.

(3) A grab bar at least 24 inches longshall be mounted behind the watercloset, and a horizontal grab bar atleast 40 inches long shall be mountedon at least one side wall, with one endnot more than 12 inches from the backwall, at a height between 33 inches and36 inches above the floor.

(4) Faucets and flush controls shallbe operable with one hand and shallnot require tight grasping, pinching, ortwisting of the wrist. The force re-quired to activate controls shall be nogreater than 5 lbf (22.2 N). Controls forflush valves shall be mounted no morethan 44 inches above the floor.

(5) Doorways on the end of the enclo-sure, opposite the water closet, shallhave a minimum clear opening widthof 32 inches. Doorways on the side wallshall have a minimum clear openingwidth of 39 inches. Door latches andhardware shall be operable with onehand and shall not require tight grasp-ing, pinching, or twisting of the wrist.

(b) Restrooms required to be acces-sible shall be in close proximity to atleast one seating location for personsusing mobility aids complying with§ 1192.125(d) and shall be connected to

such a space by an unobstructed pathhaving a minimum width of 32 inches.

§ 1192.125 Mobility aid accessibility.

(a)(1) General. All intercity rail cars,other than level entry cars, required tobe accessible by § 1192.111 (a) and (e) ofthis subpart shall provide a level-change mechanism or boarding device(e.g., lift, ramp or bridge plate) com-plying with either paragraph (b) or (c)of this section and sufficient clear-ances to permit a wheelchair or othermobility aid user to reach a seating lo-cation complying with paragraph (d) ofthis section.

(2) Exception. If portable or platformlifts, ramps or bridge plates meetingthe applicable requirements of this sec-tion are provided on station platformsor other stops, or mini-high platformscomplying with § 1192.113(d) are pro-vided, at stations or stops required tobe accessible by 49 CFR part 37, the caris not required to be equipped with acar-borne device.

(b) Car Lift—(1) Design load. The de-sign load of the lift shall be at least 600pounds. Working parts, such as cables,pulleys, and shafts, which can be ex-pected to wear, and upon which the liftdepends for support of the load, shallhave a safety factor of at least six,based on the ultimate strength of thematerial. Nonworking parts, such asplatform, frame, and attachment hard-ware which would not be expected towear, shall have a safety factor of atleast three, based on the ultimatestrength of the material.

(2) Controls—(i) Requirements. Thecontrols shall be interlocked with thecar brakes, propulsion system, or door,or shall provide other appropriatemechanisms or systems, to ensure thatthe car cannot be moved when the liftis not stowed and so the lift cannot bedeployed unless the interlocks or sys-tems are engaged. The lift shall deployto all platform levels normally encoun-tered in the operating environment.Where provided, each control for de-ploying, lowering, raising, and stowingthe lift and lowering the roll-off bar-rier shall be of a momentary contacttype requiring continuous manual pres-sure by the operator and shall notallow improper lift sequencing when

415


the lift platform is occupied. The con-trols shall allow reversal of the lift op-eration sequence, such as raising orlowering a platform that is part waydown, without allowing an occupiedplatform to fold or retract into thestowed position.

(ii) Exception. Where physical or safe-ty constraints prevent the deploymentat some stops of a lift having its longdimension perpendicular to the caraxis, the transportation entity mayspecify a lift which is designed to de-ploy with its long dimension parallel tothe car axis and which pivots into orout of the car while occupied (i.e., ‘‘ro-tary lift’’). The requirements of para-graph (b)(2)(i) of this section prohibit-ing the lift from being stowed while oc-cupied shall not apply to a lift designof this type if the stowed position iswithin the passenger compartment andthe lift is intended to be stowed whileoccupied.

(iii) Exception. The brake or propul-sion system interlocks requirementdoes not apply to platform mounted orportable lifts provided that a mechani-cal, electrical or other system operatesto ensure that cars do not move whenthe lift is in use.

(3) Emergency operation. The lift shallincorporate an emergency method ofdeploying, lowering to ground or sta-tion platform level with a lift occu-pant, and raising and stowing theempty lift if the power to the lift fails.No emergency method, manual or oth-erwise, shall be capable of being oper-ated in a manner that could be hazard-ous to the lift occupant or to the oper-ator when operated according to manu-facturer’s instructions, and shall notpermit the platform to be stowed orfolded when occupied, unless the lift isa rotary lift and is intended to bestowed while occupied.

(4) Power or equipment failure. Plat-forms stowed in a vertical position, anddeployed platforms when occupied,shall have provisions to prevent theirdeploying, failing, or folding any fasterthan 12 inches/second or their droppingof an occupant in the event of a singlefailure of any load carrying compo-nent.

(5) Platform barriers. The lift platformshall be equipped with barriers to pre-vent any of the wheels of a wheelchair

or mobility aid from rolling off the liftduring its operation. A movable barrieror inherent design feature shall pre-vent a wheelchair or mobility aid fromrolling off the edge closest to the caruntil the lift is in its fully raised posi-tion. Each side of the lift platformwhich, in its raised position, extendsbeyond the car shall have a barrier aminimum 11⁄2 inches high. Such bar-riers shall not interfere with maneu-vering into or out of the car. The load-ing-edge barrier (outer barrier) whichfunctions as a loading ramp when thelift is at ground or station platformlevel, shall be sufficient when raised orclosed, or a supplementary systemshall be provided, to prevent a powerwheelchair or mobility aid from ridingover or defeating it. The outer barrierof the lift shall automatically rise orclose, or a supplementary system shallautomatically engage, and remainraised, closed, or engaged at all timesthat the lift platform is more than 3inches above the station platform andthe lift is occupied. Alternatively, abarrier or system may be raised, low-ered, opened, closed, engaged or dis-engaged by the lift operator providedan interlock or inherent design featureprevents the lift from rising unless thebarrier is raised or closed or the sup-plementary system is engaged.

(6) Platform surface. The lift platformsurface shall be free of any protrusionsover 1⁄4 inch high and shall be slip re-sistant. The lift platform shall have aminimum clear width of 281⁄2 inches atthe platform, a minimum clear widthof 30 inches measured from 2 inchesabove the lift platform surface to 30inches above the surface, and a mini-mum clear length of 48 inches meas-ured from 2 inches above the surface ofthe platform to 30 inches above the sur-face. (See Fig. 1.)

(7) Platform gaps. Any openings be-tween the lift platform surface and theraised barriers shall not exceed 5⁄8 inchwide. When the lift is at car floorheight with the inner barrier (if appli-cable) down or retracted, gaps betweenthe forward lift platform edge and carfloor shall not exceed 1⁄2 inch hori-zontally and 5⁄8 inch vertically. Plat-forms on semi-automatic lifts mayhave a hand hold not exceeding 11⁄2

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36 CFR Ch. XI (7–1–97 Edition)§ 1192.125

inches by 41⁄2 inches located betweenthe edge barriers.

(8) Platform entrance ramp. The en-trance ramp, or loading-edge barrierused as a ramp, shall not exceed a slopeof 1:8, when measured on level ground,for a maximum rise of 3 inches, and thetransition from station platform toramp may be vertical without edgetreatment up to 1⁄4 inch. Thresholds be-tween 1⁄4 inch and 1⁄2 inch high shall bebeveled with a slope no greater than1:2.

(9) Platform deflection. The lift plat-form (not including the entrance ramp)shall not deflect more than 3 degrees(exclusive of car roll) in any directionbetween its unloaded position and itsposition when loaded with 600 poundsapplied through a 26 inch by 26 inchtest pallet at the centroid of the liftplatform.




(13) Handrails. Platforms on liftsshall be equipped with handrails, ontwo sides, which move in tandem withthe lift, and which shall be graspableand provide support to standeesthroughout the entire lift operation.Handrails shall have a usable compo-nent at least 8 inches long with thelowest portion a minimum 30 inchesabove the platform and the highestportion a maximum 38 inches above theplatform. The handrails shall be capa-ble of withstanding a force of 100pounds concentrated at any point onthe handrail without permanent defor-mation of the rail or its supportingstructure. The handrail shall have a

cross-sectional diameter between 11⁄4inches and 11⁄2 inches or shall providean equivalent grasping surface, andhave eased edges with corner radii ofnot less than 1⁄8 inch. Handrails shall beplaced to provide a minimum 11⁄2 inchesknuckle clearance from the nearest ad-jacent surface. Handrails shall notinterfere with wheelchair or mobilityaid maneuverability when entering orleaving the car.

(c) Car ramp or bridge plate—(1) Designload. Ramps or bridge plates 30 inchesor longer shall support a load of 600pounds, placed at the centroid of theramp or bridge plate distributed overan area of 26 inches by 26 inches, witha safety factor of at least 3 based onthe ultimate strength of the material.Ramps or bridge plates shorter than 30inches shall support a load of 300pounds.

(2) Ramp surface. The ramp or bridgeplate surface shall be continuous andslip resistant, shall not have protru-sions from the surface greater than 1⁄4inch high, shall have a clear width of 30inches and shall accommodate bothfour-wheel and three-wheel mobilityaids.

(3) Ramp threshold. The transitionfrom station platform to the ramp orbridge plate and the transition fromcar floor to the ramp or bridge platemay be vertical without edge treat-ment up to 1⁄4 inch. Changes in level be-tween 1⁄4 inch and 1⁄2 inch shall be bev-eled with a slope no greater than 1:2.


(5) Slope. Ramps or bridge plates shallhave the least slope practicable. If theheight of the vehicle floor, under 50%passenger load, from which the ramp isdeployed is 3 inches or less above thestation platform a maximum slope of1:4 is permitted; if the height of the ve-hicle floor, under 50% passenger load,from which the ramp is deployed is 6inches or less, but more than 3 inches,above the station platform a maximumslope of 1:6 is permitted; if the heightof the vehicle floor, under 50% pas-senger load, from which the ramp is de-ployed is 9 inches or less, but more

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than 6 inches, above the station plat-form a maximum slope of 1:8 is per-mitted; if the height of the vehiclefloor, under 50% passenger load, fromwhich the ramp is deployed is greaterthan 9 inches above the station plat-form a slope of 1:12 shall be achieved.Folding or telescoping ramps are per-mitted provided they meet all struc-tural requirements of this section.

(6) Attachment—(i) Requirement. Whenin use for boarding or alighting, theramp or bridge plate shall be attachedto the vehicle, or otherwise preventedfrom moving such that it is not subjectto displacement when loading or un-loading a heavy power mobility aid andthat any gaps between vehicle andramp or bridge plate, and station plat-form and ramp or bridge plate, shallnot exceed 5⁄8 inch.

(ii) Exception. Ramps or bridge plateswhich are attached to, and deployedfrom, station platforms are permittedin lieu of car devices provided theymeet the displacement requirements ofparagraph (c)(6)(i) of this section.


(8) Handrails. If provided, handrailsshall allow persons with disabilities tograsp them from outside the car whilestarting to board, and to continue touse them throughout the boardingprocess, and shall have the top between30 inches and 38 inches above the rampsurface. The handrails shall be capableof withstanding a force of 100 poundsconcentrated at any point on the hand-rail without permanent deformation ofthe rail or its supporting structure.The handrail shall have a cross-sec-tional diameter between 11⁄4 inches and11⁄2 inches or shall provide an equiva-lent grasping surface, and have easededges with corner radii of not less than1⁄8 inch. Handrails shall not interferewith wheelchair or mobility aid ma-neuverability when entering or leavingthe car.

(d) Seating—(1) Requirements. Allintercity rail cars required to be acces-

sible by § 1192.111 (a) and (e) of this sub-part shall provide at least one, but notmore than two, mobility aid seating lo-cation(s) complying with paragraph(d)(2) of this section; and at least one,but not more than two, seating loca-tion(s) complying with paragraph (d)(3)of this section which adjoin or overlapan accessible route with a minimumclear width of 32 inches.

(2) Wheelchair or mobility aid spaces.Spaces for persons who wish to remainin their wheelchairs or mobility aidsshall have a minimum clear floor area48 inches by 30 inches. Such space mayhave fold-down or removable seats foruse when not occupied by a wheelchairor mobility aid user. (See Fig. 2)

(3) Other spaces. Spaces for individ-uals who wish to transfer shall includea regular coach seat or dining carbooth or table seat and space to foldand store the passenger’s wheelchair.

§ 1192.127 Sleeping compartments.(a) Sleeping compartments required

to be accessible shall be designed so asto allow a person using a wheelchair ormobility aid to enter, maneuver withinand approach and use each elementwithin such compartment. (See Fig. 5.)

(b) Each accessible compartmentshall contain a restroom complyingwith § 1192.123(a) which can be entereddirectly from such compartment.

(c) Controls and operating mecha-nisms (e.g., heating and air condi-tioning controls, lighting controls, callbuttons, electrical outlets, etc.) shallbe mounted no more than 48 inches,and no less than 15 inches, above thefloor and shall have a clear floor areadirectly in front a minimum of 30inches by 48 inches. Controls and oper-ating mechanisms shall be operablewith one hand and shall not requiretight grasping, pinching, or twisting ofthe wrist.

Subpart G—Over-the-Road Busesand Systems


over-the-road buses, to be consideredaccessible by regulations issued by theDepartment of Transportation in 49CFR part 37, shall comply with thissubpart.

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36 CFR Ch. XI (7–1–97 Edition)§ 1192.153

(b) Over-the-road buses covered by 49CFR 37.7(c) shall comply with § 1192.23and this subpart.

§ 1192.153 Doors, steps and thresholds.

(a) Floor surfaces on aisles, steptreads and areas where wheelchair andmobility aid users are to be accommo-dated shall be slip-resistant.

(b) All step edges shall have a band ofcolor(s) running the full width of thestep which contrasts from the steptread and riser, either dark-on-light orlight-on-dark.

(c) To the maximum extent prac-ticable, doors shall have a minimumclear width when open of 30 inches, butin no case less than 27 inches.


(a) Handrails and stanchions shall beprovided in the entrance to the vehiclein a configuration which allows pas-sengers to grasp such assists from out-side the vehicle while starting toboard, and to continue using suchhandrails or stanchions throughout theboarding process. Handrails shall havea cross-sectional diameter between 11⁄4inches and 11⁄2 inches or shall providean equivalent grasping surface, andhave eased edges with corner radii ofnot less than 1⁄8 inch. Handrails shall beplaced to provide a minimum 11⁄2 inchesknuckle clearance from the nearest ad-jacent surface. Where on-board farecollection devices are used, a hori-zontal passenger assist shall be locatedbetween boarding passengers and thefare collection device and shall preventpassengers from sustaining injuries onthe fare collection device or windshieldin the event of a sudden deceleration.Without restricting the vestibulespace, the assist shall provide supportfor a boarding passenger from the doorthrough the boarding procedure. Pas-sengers shall be able to lean againstthe assist for security while payingfares.

(b) Where provided within passengercompartments, handrails or stanchionsshall be sufficient to permit safe on-board circulation, seating and standingassistance, and alighting by personswith disabilities.

§ 1192.157 Lighting.(a) Any stepwell or doorway imme-

diately adjacent to the driver shallhave, when the door is open, at least 2foot-candles of illumination measuredon the step tread.

(b) The vehicle doorway shall haveoutside light(s) which, when the door isopen, provide at least 1 foot-candle ofillumination on the street surface for adistance of 3 feet perpendicular to allpoints on the bottom step tread outeredge. Such light(s) shall be locatedbelow window level and shielded to pro-tect the eyes of entering and exitingpassengers.

§ 1192.159 Mobility aid accessibility.[Reserved]

Subpart H—Other Vehicles andSystems

§ 1192.171 General.(a) New, used and remanufactured ve-

hicles and conveyances for systems notcovered by other subparts of this part,to be considered accessible by regula-tions issued by the Department ofTransportation in 49 CFR part 37, shallcomply with this subpart.

(b) If portions of the vehicle or con-veyance are modified in a way that af-fects or could affect accessibility, eachsuch portion shall comply, to the ex-tent practicable, with the applicableprovisions of this subpart. This provi-sion does not require that inaccessiblevehicles be retrofitted with lifts, rampsor other boarding devices.

(c) Requirements for vehicles andsystems not covered by this part shallbe determined on a case-by-case basisby the Department of Transportationin consultation with the U.S. Architec-tural and Transportation BarriersCompliance Board (Access Board).

§ 1192.173 Automated guideway transitvehicles and systems.

(a) Automated Guideway Transit(AGT) vehicles and systems, sometimescalled ‘‘people movers’’, operated inairports and other areas where AGT ve-hicles travel at slow speed, shall com-ply with the provisions of §§ 1192.53 (a)through (c), and 1192.55 through 1192.61for rapid rail vehicles and systems.

419


(b) Where the vehicle covered byparagraph (a) of this section will oper-ate in an accessible station, the designof vehicles shall be coordinated withthe boarding platform design such thatthe horizontal gap between a vehicledoor at rest and the platform shall beno greater than 1 inch and the heightof the vehicle floor shall be within plusor minus 1⁄2 inch of the platform heightunder all normal passenger load condi-tions. Vertical alignment may be ac-complished by vehicle air suspension orother suitable means of meeting the re-quirement.

(c) In stations where open platformsare not protected by platform screens,a suitable device or system shall beprovided to prevent, deter or warn indi-viduals from stepping off the platformbetween cars. Acceptable devices in-clude, but are not limited to, panto-graph gates, chains, motion detectorsor other appropriate devices.

(d) Light rail and rapid rail AGT ve-hicles and systems shall comply withsubparts D and C of this part, respec-tively.

§ 1192.175 High-speed rail cars, mono-rails and systems.

(a) All cars for high-speed rail sys-tems, including but not limited tothose using ‘‘maglev’’ or high speedsteel-wheel-on-steel-rail technology,and monorail systems operating pri-marily on dedicated rail (i.e., not usedby freight trains) or guideway, inwhich stations are constructed in ac-cordance with subpart C of 49 CFR part37, shall be designed for high-platform,level boarding and shall comply with§ 1192.111(a) for each type of car whichis similar to intercity rail,§§ 1192.111(d), 1192.113 (a) through (c)and (e), 1192.115 (a) and (b), 1192.117 (a)and (b), 1192.121 through 1192.123,1192.125(d), and 1192.127 (if applicable).The design of cars shall be coordinatedwith the boarding platform design suchthat the horizontal gap between a car

door at rest and the platform shall beno greater than 3 inches and the heightof the car floor shall be within plus orminus 5⁄8 inch of the platform heightunder all normal passenger load condi-tions. Vertical alignment may be ac-complished by car air suspension orother suitable means of meeting the re-quirement. All doorways shall have,when the door is open, at least 2 foot-candles of illumination measured onthe door threshold.

(b) All other high-speed rail carsshall comply with the similar provi-sions of subpart F of this part.

§ 1192.177 Ferries, excursion boats andother vessels. [Reserved]

§ 1192.179 Trams, similar vehicles andsystems.

(a) New and used trams consisting ofa tractor unit, with or without pas-senger accommodations, and one ormore passenger trailer units, includingbut not limited to vehicles providingshuttle service to remote parkingareas, between hotels and other publicaccommodations, and between andwithin amusement parks and otherrecreation areas, shall comply withthis section. For purposes of determin-ing applicability of 49 CFR 37.101,37.103, or 37.105, the capacity of such avehicle or ‘‘train’’ shall consist of thetotal combined seating capacity of allunits, plus the driver, prior to anymodification for accessibility.

(b) Each tractor unit which accom-modates passengers and each trailerunit shall comply with §§ 1192.25 and1192.29. In addition, each such unitshall comply with § 1192.23 (b) or (c) andshall provide at least one space forwheelchair or mobility aid users com-plying with § 1192.23(d) unless the com-plete operating unit consisting of trac-tor and one or more trailers can al-ready accommodate at least two wheel-chair or mobility aid users.

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36 CFR Ch. XI (7–1–97 Edition)Pt. 1192, App.

APPENDIX TO PART 1192—ADVISORY

GUIDANCE

This appendix contains materials of an ad-visory nature and provides additional infor-mation that should help the reader to under-stand the minimum requirements of theguidelines or to design vehicles for greateraccessibility. Each entry is applicable to allsubparts of this part except where noted.Nothing in this appendix shall in any wayobviate any obligation to comply with therequirements of the guidelines themselves.

I. SLIP RESISTANT SURFACES—AISLES, STEPS,FLOOR AREAS WHERE PEOPLE WALK, FLOOR

AREAS IN SECUREMENT LOCATIONS, LIFT

PLATFORMS, RAMPS

Slip resistance is based on the frictionalforce necessary to keep a shoe heel or crutchtip from slipping on a walking surface underconditions likely to be found on the surface.While the dynamic coefficient of frictionduring walking varies in a complex and non-uniform way, the static coefficient of fric-tion, which can be measured in several ways,provides a close approximation of the slip re-sistance of a surface. Contrary to popular be-lief, some slippage is necessary to walking,especially for persons with restricted gaits; atruly ‘‘non-slip’’ surface could not be nego-tiated.

The Occupational Safety and Health Ad-ministration recommends that walking sur-faces have a static coefficient of friction of0.5. A research project sponsored by the Ar-chitectural and Transportation BarriersCompliance Board (Access Board) conductedtests with persons with disabilities and con-cluded that a higher coefficient of frictionwas needed by such persons. A static coeffi-cient of friction of 0.6 is recommended forsteps, floors, and lift platforms and 0.8 forramps.

The coefficient of friction varies consider-ably due to the presence of contaminants,water, floor finishes, and other factors notunder the control of transit providers andmay be difficult to measure. Nevertheless,many common materials suitable for floor-ing are now labeled with information on thestatic coefficient of friction. While it maynot be possible to compare one product di-rectly with another, or to guarantee a con-stant measure, transit operators or vehicledesigners and manufacturers are encouragedto specify materials with appropriate values.As more products include information on slipresistance, improved uniformity in measure-ment and specification is likely. The AccessBoard’s advisory guidelines on Slip ResistantSurfaces provides additional information onthis subject.

II. COLOR CONTRAST—STEP EDGES, LIFTPLATFORM EDGES

The material used to provide contrastshould contrast by at least 70%. Contrast inpercent is determined by:Contrast=[(B1¥B2)/B1]×100where B1=light reflectance value (LRV) of

the lighter areaand B2=light reflectance value (LRV) of the

darker area.Note that in any application both white andblack are never absolute; thus, B1 neverequals 100 and B2 is always greater than 0.

III. HANDRAILS AND STANCHIONS

In addition to the requirements for hand-rails and stanchions for rapid, light, andcommuter rail vehicles, consideration shouldbe given to the proximity of handrails orstanchions to the area in which wheelchairor mobility aid users may position them-selves. When identifying the clear floor spacewhere a wheelchair or mobility aid user canbe accommodated, it is suggested that atleast one such area be adjacent or in closeproximity to a handrail or stanchion. Ofcourse, such a handrail or stanchion cannotencroach upon the required 32 inch width re-quired for the doorway or the route leadingto the clear floor space which must be atleast 30 by 48 inches in size.

IV. PRIORITY SEATING SIGNS AND OTHERSIGNAGE

A. Finish and Contrast

The characters and background of signsshould be eggshell, matte, or other non-glarefinish. An eggshell finish (11 to 19 degreegloss on 60 degree glossimeter) is rec-ommended. Characters and symbols shouldcontrast with their background—either lightcharacters on a dark background or darkcharacters on a light background. Researchindicates that signs are more legible for per-sons with low vision when characters con-trast with their background by at least 70percent. Contrast in percent is determinedby:

Contrast=[(B1¥B2)/B1]×100where B1=light reflectance value (LRV) of

the lighter areaand B2=light reflectance value (LRV) of the

darker area.

Note that in any application both white andblack are never absolute; thus, B1 neverequals 100 and B2 is always greater than 0.

The greatest readability is usuallyachieved through the use of light-coloredcharacters or symbols on a dark background.

B. Destination and Route Signs

The following specifications, which are re-quired for buses (§ 1192.39), are recommended

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Architectural and Transp. Barriers Compliance Board Pt. 1192, App.

for other types of vehicles, particularly lightrail vehicles, where appropriate.

1.Where destination or route informationis displayed on the exterior of a vehicle, eachvehicle should have illuminated signs on thefront and boarding side of the vehicle.

2. Characters on signs covered by para-graph IV.B.1 of this appendix should have awidth-to-height ratio between 3:5 and 1:1 anda stroke width-to-height ratio between 1:5and 1:10, with a minimum character height(using an upper case ‘‘X’’) of 1 inch for signson the boarding side and a minimum char-acter height of 2 inches for front‘‘headsigns’’, with ‘‘wide’’ spacing (generally,the space between letters shall be 1⁄16 theheight of upper case letters), and should con-trast with the background, either dark-on-light or light-on-dark, or as recommendedabove.

C. Designation of Accessible Vehicles

The International Symbol of Accessibilityshould be displayed as shown in Figure 6.

V. PUBLIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS

There is currently no requirement that ve-hicles be equipped with an information sys-tem which is capable of providing the sameor equivalent information to persons withhearing loss. While the Department of Trans-portation assesses available and soon-to-beavailable technology during a study to beconducted during Fiscal Year 1992, entitiesare encouraged to employ whatever services,signage or alternative systems or devicesthat provide equivalent access and are avail-able. Two possible types of devices are visualdisplay systems and listening systems. How-ever, it should be noted that while visual dis-play systems accommodate persons who aredeaf or are hearing impaired, assistive lis-tening systems aid only those with a partialloss of hearing.

A. Visual Display Systems

Announcements may be provided in a vis-ual format by the use of electronic messageboards or video monitors.

Electronic message boards using a lightemitting diode (LED) or ‘‘flip-dot’’ displayare currently provided in some transit sta-tions and terminals and may be usable in ve-hicles. These devices may be used to providereal time or pre-programmed messages; how-ever, real time message displays require theavailability of an employee for keyboardentry of the information to be announced.

Video monitor systems, such as visual pag-ing systems provided in some airports (e.g.,Baltimore-Washington International Air-port), are another alternative. The Architec-tural and Transportation Barriers Compli-ance Board (Access Board) can provide tech-nical assistance and information on these

systems (‘‘Airport TDD Access: Two CaseStudies,’’ (1990)).

B. Assistive Listening Systems

Assistive listening systems (ALS) are in-tended to augment standard public addressand audio systems by providing signalswhich can be received directly by personswith special receivers or their own hearingaids and which eliminate or filter back-ground noise. Magnetic induction loops,infra-red and radio frequency systems aretypes of listening systems which are appro-priate for various applications.

An assistive listening-system appropriatefor transit vehicles, where a group of personsor where the specific individuals are notknown in advance, may be different from thesystem appropriate for a particular individ-ual provided as an auxiliary aid or as part ofa reasonable accommodation. The appro-priate device for an individual is the typethat individual can use, whereas the appro-priate system for a station or vehicle willnecessarily be geared toward the ‘‘average’’or aggregate needs of various individuals.Earphone jacks with variable volume con-trols can benefit only people who have slighthearing loss and do not help people who usehearing aids. At the present time, magneticinduction loops are the most feasible type oflistening system for people who use hearingaids equipped with ‘‘T-coils’’, but peoplewithout hearing aids or those with hearingaids not equipped with inductive pick-upscannot use them without special receivers.Radio frequency systems can be extremelyeffective and inexpensive. People withouthearing aids can use them, but people withhearing aids need a special receiver to usethem as they are presently designed. If hear-ing aids had a jack to allow a by-pass ofmicrophones, then radio frequency systemswould be suitable for people with and with-out hearing aids. Some listening systemsmay be subject to interference from otherequipment and feedback from hearing aids ofpeople who are using the systems. Such in-terference can be controlled by careful engi-neering design that anticipates feedbacksources in the surrounding area.

The Architectural and Transportation Bar-riers Compliance Board (Access Board) haspublished a pamphlet on Assistive ListeningSystems which lists demonstration centersacross the country where technical assist-ance can be obtained in selecting and install-ing appropriate systems. The state of NewYork has also adopted a detailed technicalspecification which may be useful.

PARTS 1193—1199 [RESERVED]

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