How Often Must Rail Be Tested? FRA Inspection Frequency by Type

How often must rail be tested? Under FRA rules it depends on the inspection type. Class 4 and 5 track needs a visual inspection twice weekly (49 CFR 213.233), switches need a monthly walking inspection (213.235), and the rail itself must be internally tested at least every 370 days or 30 million gross tons, whichever comes first (213.237).

Those three schedules run side by side, and none of them replaces another. A track owner also has to schedule joint inspections on continuous welded rail (CWR) under 213.119, apply separate rules for Class 6 and higher track in Subpart G, and use operators qualified under 213.238 for the internal tests. This guide sets out every interval in one place, then works through a real scheduling example.

What are the different types of FRA rail and track inspection?

FRA's Track Safety Standards (49 CFR Part 213) set at least five separate inspection schedules, and each looks for different conditions. A visual inspection looks at the track structure from above. An internal rail test uses ultrasonic or other flaw detection equipment to look inside the rail. Joint and switch inspections are done on foot because the defects they target hide in small, complex components.

Track class decides most of these intervals. FRA defines nine classes of track: Classes 1 to 5 in 49 CFR 213.9 and Classes 6 to 9 in Subpart G (213.307), plus excepted track under 213.4.

For Classes 6 to 9 the 213.307 table gives one speed for all trains. Freight may run at those speeds only when its equipment is qualified for them, and speeds above 125 mph need further FRA approval. A more detailed look at how classes drive procurement is in our guide to rail inspection RFPs and track classifications.

Key takeaway: "How often" has no single answer, because visual, switch, internal, joint and special inspections each have their own rule.

How often must track be visually inspected under 213.233?

Class 4 and 5 track must be visually inspected twice weekly, at least one calendar day apart. Main track and sidings on Class 1 to 3 (and excepted) track need a weekly inspection, rising to twice weekly where passenger trains run or the track carried more than 10 million gross tons in the previous calendar year.

An inspection week runs Sunday through Saturday. The twice-weekly passenger trigger doesn't apply to some tourist, scenic, historic and excursion operations that meet the conditions in the rule's footnote.

Section 213.233(b) also sets how the inspection is done. The inspector walks the track or rides over it in a vehicle at a speed that lets them see the track structure, and the vehicle may not exceed 5 mph over track crossings and turnouts. Machines can help, but they don't replace the inspector:

"However, mechanical, electrical, and other track inspection devices may be used to supplement visual inspection." (49 CFR 213.233(b))

One inspector in a vehicle may cover up to two tracks if the second track is within 30 feet and visibility is clear. Two inspectors may cover up to four tracks, each within 39 feet. Even so, each main track must be traversed or walked at least once every two weeks, and each siding at least once a month.

Key takeaway: visual inspection is the most frequent rule in Part 213, and it cannot find flaws inside the rail.

How often must switches and turnouts be inspected?

Switches, turnouts, track crossings and moveable bridge lift rail assemblies must be inspected on foot at least once a month under 49 CFR 213.235(a). The monthly walk is in addition to the 213.233 visual inspections, which pass over the same turnouts at no more than 5 mph.

Two further rules apply:

• Operating check, 213.235(b). On Class 3 to 5 track, each switch held in position only by the operating mechanism and one connecting rod must be operated through all of its positions at least once every three months.
• Little-used track, 213.235(c). Where track is used less than once a month, its switches, turnouts and crossings must be inspected on foot before each use.

The monthly foot inspection is a visual check. Frogs, switch points and guard rails also carry internal defects, and test vehicles often can't search them reliably, so many owners add hand or cart ultrasonic testing of special trackwork to their internal testing program. Our guide to railroad switch and crossing inspection covers what the walking inspector looks for.

Key takeaway: walk every switch monthly, and operate single-rod switches on Class 3 to 5 track every three months.

How often must rail be tested for internal flaws?

On Class 4 and 5 track, and on Class 3 track with regularly scheduled passenger trains or that is a hazardous materials route, internal rail inspections may be no more than 370 days or 30 MGT apart, whichever is shorter. All other Class 3 track follows a looser schedule with a five-year cap. These limits are in 49 CFR 213.237(c).

The interval is a ceiling, not the whole rule. Section 213.237 is performance based: each designated rail inspection segment must also keep its rate of service failures (broken rails caused by internal defects) within set limits, and only a valid search counts as an inspection. Stretches where a valid search couldn't be made must be retested, run at no more than 25 mph, or replaced before the limit expires.

Owners may instead use continuous rail testing under 49 CFR 213.240, an optional way to meet 213.237 or 213.339 in which the test vehicle keeps moving and suspect locations are verified in the field afterwards, generally within 84 hours (36 hours for certain serious suspected defects). It sets no separate interval, so the 213.237 limits still decide when the next test is due.

Those parts of the rule (failure rate limits, valid searches, defect marking, plug rail and records under 213.241) are explained in full in our guide to 49 CFR 213.237 rail flaw detection inspection requirements.

Why tonnage often controls the date

Days and tonnage both count from the last valid test. On a busy line, 30 MGT arrives well before 370 days:

• Days until 30 MGT = 30 ÷ annual MGT × 365
• At 40 MGT a year: 30 ÷ 40 × 365 ≈ 274 days
• At 12 MGT a year: 30 ÷ 12 × 365 ≈ 913 days, so 370 days controls

An owner who tracks only the calendar anniversary will miss the deadline on every line that carries more than about 29.6 MGT a year (30 MGT ÷ 370 days × 365).

The "other Class 3" row works the opposite way. Because it takes the longer of the two limits, a line carrying 5 MGT a year would reach 30 MGT only after 6 years, so the 5-year cap sets the deadline. A legal minimum isn't necessarily the right interval for old rail or a segment with a history of service failures.

Older intervals you may still see quoted

Some contracts, procedures and older articles still quote intervals that no longer apply. The first Track Safety Standards, published on October 20, 1971 and effective December 1, 1971, required a continuous search for internal defects "at least once a year" on Class 4 to 6 track and on Class 3 track carrying passenger trains (36 FR 20336). Before 2014, 213.237(a) set two schedules:

• Class 4 and 5 track, and Class 3 track with passenger trains: 40 MGT or once a year, whichever was shorter
• All other Class 3 track: 30 MGT or once a year, whichever was longer

The 2014 Improving Rail Integrity final rule (79 FR 4234, published January 24, 2014 and effective March 25, 2014) made the rule performance based. It added the service failure rate limits, the valid search definition, the 213.238 operator requirements and the plug rail rule. Today's text sets 370 days or 30 MGT for the stricter group and also covers hazmat routes. A procedure that still says "annual or every 40 MGT" is out of date and should be rewritten against the current 213.237(c).

Key takeaway: on the shorter schedule, compute the 30 MGT date for every segment, because on busy lines it comes before the anniversary.

How often must CWR joints be inspected?

Joints connected to continuous welded rail must be inspected on foot between zero and four times a year, depending on track class and tonnage, under the joint inspection table in 49 CFR 213.119(h)(6). The schedule sits inside the owner's CWR plan, which also sets procedures for buckling-prone and pull-apart-prone conditions under 213.119(g).

The rule applies to "CWR joints", which 213.119 defines as any joint directly connected to CWR. The minimum number of on-foot inspections per calendar year is:

Where freight and passenger trains share a segment and the two columns differ, the more frequent interval applies. When extreme weather prevents an inspection, some intervals may be extended by up to 30 calendar days. CWR joints in switches, turnouts, track crossings and moveable bridge lift rail assemblies are inspected on foot monthly, in line with 213.235.

A joint inspection looks for cracked joint bars, loose, bent or missing bolts, rail end batter or mismatch, and signs of excessive longitudinal rail movement. Cracked bars get remedial action under 213.121. Inspection records must show the territory, any deviations, the date, the action taken and the inspector. Owners may ask FRA to approve alternative joint inspection procedures.

Note that a visual joint inspection doesn't find bolt-hole cracks hidden behind the bar. Section 213.237(f) requires internal rail test equipment to search between joint bars. Read more in our guides to continuous welded rail and ultrasonic rail joint inspection.

Key takeaway: CWR joint frequency depends on class and both freight and passenger tonnage; switch joints are monthly regardless.

What are the inspection intervals for Class 6 and higher track?

Track rated Class 6 to 9 (110 to 220 mph) follows Subpart G of Part 213, which sets tighter visual intervals and a fixed twice-yearly internal test.

Unlike 213.237, the 213.339 interval has no tonnage element. Subpart G also requires automated geometry measurement under 213.333. Most short lines, industrial tracks and transit systems run at Class 5 or below, where the rules in the earlier sections apply.

Key takeaway: at 110 mph and above, internal testing is twice yearly with at least 120 days between tests, whatever the tonnage.

Who is allowed to perform internal rail tests?

Only a qualified operator under 49 CFR 213.238 may operate rail flaw detection equipment for a 213.237 inspection. Section 213.237(i) states that the operator "must be a qualified operator as defined in § 213.238."

FRA doesn't certify rail flaw operators, and an ASNT certificate on its own doesn't meet 213.238. When you hire a contractor, ask for the 213.238 qualification record for the specific equipment that will test your track. Visual inspections under 213.233 and 213.235 are done by a different person: someone designated under 213.7.

Key takeaway: the test interval means nothing unless a 213.238-qualified operator produced a valid search.

Worked example: one year of inspections on a mixed territory

A small passenger and freight territory can need well over 300 required inspections a year before any internal rail test is counted. Here is one illustrative territory, worked through the rules above.

The territory:

• 18 miles of Class 4 main track in CWR, with regularly scheduled passenger trains
• Traffic: 31 MGT of freight and 4 MGT of passenger trains a year (35 MGT in total)
• A 2-mile Class 2 siding with no passenger trains and under 10 MGT
• A Class 1 yard with 6 tracks
• 14 turnouts: 10 on the main line and 4 in the siding and yard, all held by the operating mechanism and one connecting rod
• 40 CWR joints on the main line (insulated joints and field joints) outside the turnouts

Step 1: visual inspections under 213.233.

The main line must also be traversed or walked at least every two weeks and the siding at least monthly, so the inspector can't cover them only by looking across from an adjacent track.

Step 2: switches under 213.235. Each of the 14 turnouts gets a monthly foot inspection: 14 × 12 = 168 turnout inspections a year. The 10 main-line turnouts are on Class 4 track and held by one rod, so each must also be operated through all positions at least every three months: 10 × 4 = 40 operating checks. The 4 turnouts on Class 1 and 2 track are outside 213.235(b).

Step 3: CWR joints under 213.119(h)(6). Class 4 with 31 MGT of freight falls in the "under 40 MGT" column: 2 a year. Passenger tonnage of 4 MGT falls in "under 20 MGT": also 2 a year. Both columns give 2, so the 40 joints need 2 on-foot inspections a year. Joints inside turnouts are covered monthly with the switch inspections.

Step 4: internal rail tests under 213.237. The main line is Class 4 with passenger trains, so the shorter of 370 days or 30 MGT applies:

• 30 ÷ 35 × 365 ≈ 313 days to reach 30 MGT
• 313 days is less than 370, so tonnage controls
• To leave room for a re-test after an invalid search, schedule each test at about 280 days (roughly every 9 months)
• Over three years that is about 4 tests, not 3

The Class 2 siding and Class 1 yard have no 213.237 interval. Turnouts and short special trackwork on the main line may need hand or cart testing to achieve a valid search.

The result for one year:

If the same main line later carries 45 MGT of freight (49 MGT in total), the joint column changes to 3 a year and the internal test interval drops to about 223 days (30 ÷ 49 × 365). Re-check every segment when traffic changes.

Key takeaway: build the schedule from the controlling limit on each segment, then pull internal tests forward to leave room for a re-test.

How do you build and maintain a rail testing schedule?

Start each segment's schedule from the regulation, then tighten it with that segment's own test results. The steps below turn the rules above into a plan that stays correct through the year.

1. List every segment and its operating profile. Record the track class, whether regularly scheduled passenger trains run, whether it is a hazardous materials route as defined in 213.237(j), and which rail inspection segment it belongs to. Together these decide which row of the 213.237(c) table applies.
2. Track tonnage from the last valid search. Keep a running MGT total for each segment from the date its last valid search was completed, not from the date a test was planned or a contract was signed.
3. Compute both deadlines. Work out the 370-day date and the 30 MGT date. Take the earlier one, or for other Class 3 track the later one, within the 5-year cap.
4. Review the segment's history. Compare defects per test and service failures with the 213.237(a) limits. Two segments of the same class can behave very differently. One that keeps producing defects in the same area is a candidate for testing well inside the legal limit, and one that misses its failure target two years running is pushed to a 10 MGT interval or Class 2 under 213.237(d).
5. Book the test with a margin. The test equipment, qualified operators and track time all need advance planning. Leave enough time before the deadline to re-test any stretch where a valid search couldn't be made.
6. Designate the test type first. An owner using 213.240 must designate and record before testing whether the test is continuous or stop-and-verify, and whether a continuous test is meant to satisfy 213.237.
7. Close out each test. Record the defects found, the remedial actions and any track that wasn't tested (213.241(c)(6)). Then restart the day and tonnage counts only for the stretches that received a valid search. Internal rail inspection records are kept for at least two years after the inspection and one year after the remedial action (213.241).

Re-run steps 1 to 3 whenever traffic, passenger service or hazmat routing changes, not only at the annual planning cycle.

Key takeaway: a schedule is only as good as its tonnage records and its list of untested stretches.

What are the most common rail testing frequency mistakes?

Most gaps come from counting the wrong thing, not from skipping a test outright. Check every schedule and procedure for these errors:

• Counting from the planned date. The 370 days and 30 MGT run from the last valid search. A test that slips two weeks moves every later deadline with it.
• Treating a test run as a valid search. Rail the equipment couldn't search, because of lost coupling, surface damage or an equipment fault, is untested track. It must be re-searched, run at no more than 25 mph or replaced before the limit expires.
• Using visual inspections as rail tests. A 213.233 inspection, however frequent, doesn't satisfy 213.237. The reverse is also true: an ultrasonic test run doesn't replace the weekly or twice-weekly visual inspection.
• Quoting a superseded interval. "Annual or 40 MGT" was the pre-2014 rule. Procedures written before March 2014 should be checked against the current text.
• Missing a change of status. New passenger service, a hazmat routing change or a higher track class can move a segment onto a stricter schedule as soon as it takes effect.
• Leaving plug rail out. Plug rail needs a valid test, with no more than 30 MGT on it since that test, or trains over it are held to Class 2 speed.
• Expecting Part 213 to set equipment checks. Part 213 sets no calibration interval for rail flaw detection equipment. The qualified operator must determine that the equipment is performing as intended (213.238(b)(2)), and calibration frequency comes from the provider's procedure and the manufacturer's instructions.
• Assuming a waiver request pauses the rule. Owners may petition FRA for a waiver under 49 CFR 213.17, but the filing "does not affect that person's responsibility for compliance" while FRA considers it.

Key takeaway: count from the last valid search, and treat every untested stretch as untested until it is re-searched.

When must track be inspected outside the normal schedule?

After a fire, flood, severe storm or other event that might have damaged the track, the owner must make a special inspection promptly under 49 CFR 213.239. Where feasible, it happens before the next train runs.

Other events also change the schedule:

• Service failure targets missed. Under 213.237(d), an owner that misses its failure rate target two years running must cut the test interval to 10 MGT or reduce the track to Class 2 in the worst area.
• Untested plug rail. Plug rail installed without a valid test limits trains to Class 2 speeds until it is tested.
• Higher tonnage or new passenger service. Either one can move a Class 1 to 3 line to twice-weekly visual inspection, a Class 3 line onto the 370-day internal schedule, or a CWR joint into a more frequent column.
• Defects found. A detected defect triggers the remedial actions in 49 CFR 213.113, not a new inspection interval. Our guide to FRA defect codes lists the defect types.

Pending change. In October 2024 FRA proposed a new 213.236 requiring automated track geometry measurement on Class 1 to 5 main line and controlled sidings that carry more than 10 MGT a year, regularly scheduled passenger trains or hazardous materials, at least three times in 365 days (Federal Register, 89 FR, October 24, 2024). It was a proposal, not a final rule, when we checked. Confirm its status on eCFR before relying on it.

Key takeaway: weather, failures, plug rail and traffic changes can all tighten the schedule mid-year.

What the minimum schedules don't guarantee

Meeting every FRA interval doesn't mean every flaw was found. Part 213 sets minimum requirements, and owners may adopt stricter ones (213.1). The minimums leave these gaps:

FRA's 2014 rail integrity rule describes a self-adaptive approach in which the test interval is set from the defect rate per test, the service failure rate and the tonnage between tests. That's a sound way to decide when to test more often than the minimum, especially on segments with repeated defects in the same location.

How EMA Industries applies this

EMA Industries performs ultrasonic rail flaw testing for transit agencies, short lines and industrial track owners, from Southern California and mobilizing nationwide. A good testing program starts by listing each segment's class, passenger and hazmat status and annual tonnage, then sets internal test dates from the controlling 370-day or 30 MGT limit with time left for re-tests. The report should list each defect and any stretch where a valid search couldn't be made, so the owner can show compliance. To plan a testing program, see our ultrasonic rail testing services or contact us for a quote.

Related reading: FRA track safety standards (Part 213) · Hi-rail truck vs inspection cart · How ultrasonic rail flaw detection works

Frequently asked questions

How often are railroad tracks inspected?

Visually, Class 1 to 3 main track and sidings are inspected weekly, or twice weekly with passenger trains or more than 10 MGT a year. Class 4 and 5 track is inspected twice weekly. Yard and industry track on Class 1 to 3 is inspected monthly, under 49 CFR 213.233.

How often is rail ultrasonically tested?

On Class 4 and 5 track, and on Class 3 track with scheduled passenger trains or a hazmat route, at least every 370 days or 30 MGT, whichever comes first. Other Class 3 track takes the longer of annual or 30 MGT, capped at 5 years. Class 6 and higher is tested twice a year.

Does 213.237 apply to Class 1 and 2 track?

No. The internal rail testing intervals in 213.237 cover Class 3, 4 and 5 track, and 213.339 covers Class 6 and higher. Owners of Class 1 and 2 track may still choose to test, for example on worn or relay rail.

How often must switches be inspected?

Every switch, turnout and track crossing must be inspected on foot at least monthly under 213.235. On Class 3 to 5 track, switches held by the operating mechanism and one connecting rod must also be operated through all positions every three months.

What happens if an internal rail test is missed?

The track is out of compliance once the 370-day or 30 MGT limit passes without a valid search. Under 213.237(h), before the limit expires the owner must retest, limit speed to 25 mph, or replace the untested rail.

What are the penalties for missing an FRA inspection?

Under 49 CFR 213.15, civil penalties apply per violation, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense. A higher, aggravated maximum applies to grossly negligent or repeated violations that create an imminent hazard, or where a death or injury occurred. The dollar amounts are listed in 49 CFR Part 209, Appendix A. Knowingly falsifying an inspection record can bring criminal penalties under 49 U.S.C. 21311.

Sources

• 49 CFR 213.233, Visual track inspections, eCFR, current as of October 2026
• 49 CFR 213.235, Inspection of switches, track crossings, and lift rail assemblies, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.237, Inspection of rail, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.238, Qualified operator, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.240, Continuous rail testing, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.239, Special inspections, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.119, Continuous welded rail (CWR); plan contents, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.9, Classes of track, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.307, Class of track: operating speed limits (Class 6+), eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.339, Inspection of rail in service (Class 6+), eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.365, Visual inspections (Class 6+), eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.15, Penalties, and 213.17, Waivers, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.241, Inspection records, eCFR
• Track Safety Standards, original rule (36 FR 20336, October 20, 1971), Federal Register
• Track Safety Standards; Improving Rail Integrity (January 24, 2014), Federal Register
• Track Safety Standards proposed rule on automated track inspection (October 24, 2024), Federal Register
• Cornell LII text of 49 CFR Part 213 (alternate copy)