Railway Track Inspection Types: What Each Finds and Which Rule Governs It

A railway track inspection is a required check of track against 49 CFR Part 213, and the FRA rules define seven kinds. Visual inspection under 213.233 runs weekly or twice weekly. Switches are walked monthly under 213.235, and internal rail tests under 213.237 come at least every 370 days or 30 MGT on Class 4 and 5 track.

The other four are track geometry measurement (213.333 and the owner's own program), gage restraint measurement (213.110), continuous welded rail (CWR) inspections under the owner's plan (213.119), and special inspections after a fire, flood, storm or similar event (213.239). Each one looks for different conditions, is done by a different kind of qualified person and leaves a different record.

This page is the hub for those seven inspection types. It gives each one a short answer: what it finds, the rule, who performs it and how often. It then links to the EMA articles that cover each type in depth. Every rule quoted here was read on the Cornell LII copy of the eCFR in October 2026.

What are the types of railway track inspection?

Part 213 sets seven inspection types for Class 1 to 5 track, each with its own section, trigger and frequency. The table summarizes them. The sections below explain each row and link to the deep-dive page.

Class 6 to 9 track has a parallel set in Subpart G: visual inspection under 213.365, rail testing under 213.339 and a mandatory TGMS under 213.333(a)(2) to (4).

Key takeaway: "railway track inspection" isn't one task. It is seven separate obligations, and a program that does only weekly walking inspections meets just one of them.

Why do regular track inspections matter?

Regular inspections matter because Part 213 makes the track owner responsible for knowing the condition of its track, and each inspection type is how it finds out. Under 213.5(a), an owner that knows track doesn't comply must bring it into compliance, halt operations, or run under the authority of a person designated under 213.7(a). An owner can't meet that duty for conditions it never looked for.

The rules also tie inspection results directly to train speed. Under 213.233(d), an inspector who finds a deviation "shall immediately initiate remedial action." Under 213.9(b), track that fails its intended class drops to the next lower class it does meet, with a lower speed limit.

Broken rails show why inspection has to go beyond what can be seen from the track. In FRA's accident data, broken rails and welds caused 384 of the 1,145 track-caused derailments on main track from 2016 to 2025 (FRA train accident data, dataset byy5-w977, pulled October 24, 2026). The largest single cause code was detail fractures, a defect that grows inside the rail head where no visual inspector can see it.

Internal rail inspection is also tied to a performance target. Section 213.237(a) requires internal inspections "sufficient to maintain service failure rates" of no more than 0.1 service failure per mile per year on Class 4 and 5 track, and lower rates where passenger trains or hazardous materials run. A missed target for two years running forces a 10 MGT test interval or a drop to Class 2 in the worst area.

Key takeaway: each inspection type exists because it finds conditions the others can't, and Part 213 links what it finds to speed limits and owner action.

How does a visual track inspection work under 213.233?

A visual track inspection is a check by a 213.7 designated person, on foot or from a slow-moving vehicle, of the whole track structure against Part 213. Section 213.233(a) says "All track shall be inspected in accordance with the schedule prescribed in paragraph (c) of this section by a person designated under § 213.7."

The inspector looks for visible deviations from Subparts B to E: drainage and vegetation, crossties and fasteners, rail end mismatch, joints, gage, alinement, surface and visible rail defects such as broken rails or surface cracks. Devices can help, but under 213.233(b) mechanical, electrical and other inspection devices may only "supplement visual inspection".

An inspection week runs Sunday to Saturday. A vehicle-based inspection is limited to 5 mph through track crossings and turnouts, and one inspector may cover up to two tracks if the second is centered no more than 30 feet away. Each main track must still be traversed or walked at least every two weeks, and each siding monthly.

The deep-dive page, railroad track inspection under 49 CFR 213.233, covers the passenger footnote for tourist railroads, the vehicle conditions, the inspector's checklist and a month's worked schedule.

Key takeaway: visual inspection is the most frequent railway track inspection, but by its nature it sees only what is visible from the surface.

How are switches, turnouts and track crossings inspected under 213.235?

Every switch, turnout, track crossing and moveable bridge lift rail assembly must be inspected on foot at least monthly under 213.235(a). Track used less than once a month is inspected on foot before it is used, under 213.235(c).

Section 213.235(b) adds an operating check: "Each switch in Classes 3 through 5 track that is held in position only by the operating mechanism and one connecting rod shall be operated to all of its positions during one inspection in every 3 month period." That check is aimed at switches where a single rod failure could leave the points unsecured.

A switch inspection looks at the conditions in Subpart D for turnouts: switch points and stock rails (213.135), frogs (213.137), spring rail frogs (213.139), self-guarded frogs (213.141) and frog guard rails and guard faces (213.143). "Track crossing" here means one track crossing another, not a highway-rail grade crossing. The rule doesn't name an inspector qualification, so owners normally assign the work to their 213.7(b) inspectors, and CWR joints inside turnouts are covered by the same monthly walk (213.119(h)(6)(iv)).

Switch inspection is visual. Turnouts are also where internal rail tests most often lose a valid search, because frogs, guard rails and switch points interrupt the probe path. The railroad switch and crossing inspection page covers the defects found there and why ultrasonic coverage is harder.

Key takeaway: a turnout needs a monthly walking inspection under 213.235 on top of the 213.233 inspection of the track around it.

What does an internal rail flaw inspection under 213.237 find?

An internal rail flaw inspection finds cracks inside the rail that no visual inspector can see: transverse and compound fissures, detail fractures and vertical split heads, plus other internal defects. Section 213.237(a) requires these inspections "In addition to the inspections required by § 213.233".

The four defects named in the 213.237(j)(3) definition of a service failure (compound fissure, transverse fissure, detail fracture and vertical split head) are the ones the failure-rate target counts. Testing also finds horizontal split heads, bolt-hole cracks, head and web separations and defective welds. Under 213.237(f), the equipment "shall be capable of detecting defects between joint bars, in the area enclosed by joint bars."

The person running the equipment must be a qualified operator under 213.238, trained and proficient on each type of equipment used. Under 213.237(g), if that operator decides a valid search couldn't be made over a length of track, it doesn't count as inspected. Before the deadline, the owner must retest it, cut speed to 25 mph, or replace the rail.

Part 213 names no test method. The rule requires "internal rail inspections" with "rail defect detection equipment", and ultrasonic testing is the industry's main method by practice. Testing is deployed from hi-rail trucks, rail-bound test cars, walking carts and hand probes, and the choice depends on mileage, access and the amount of special trackwork.

For the detail, see 49 CFR 213.237 rail flaw detection requirements (valid search, service failure rates, plug rail and records), how often rail must be tested (interval worked examples), hi-rail truck vs inspection cart vs walking (choosing the deployment method) and hi-rail rail flaw testing: what a track owner must arrange (track access, verification and records).

Key takeaway: internal rail inspection is the only inspection type that looks inside the rail, and on Class 1 and 2 track it isn't required at all.

When is a track geometry inspection required?

On Class 1 to 5 track, FRA requires a Track Geometry Measurement System (TGMS) only "for operations at a qualified cant deficiency, Eu, of more than 5 inches" (213.333(a)(1)). Where that applies, the TGMS must run at least twice per calendar year, with at least 120 days between runs. Class 6 to 9 track always needs a TGMS, from once a year on Class 6 to twice in any 60 days on Class 8 and 9.

A TGMS measures the track under load: within 3 feet of a wheel carrying at least 10 kips, sampled at preferably every foot and no more than every 2 feet (213.333(b)). For Class 1 to 5 operations above 5 in. cant deficiency, it must measure for gage (213.53), alinement (213.55(b)), curve elevation and speed (213.57), surface (213.63) and combined alinement and surface deviations (213.65).

Most freight, short-line and transit track never reaches 5 in. of cant deficiency, so for that track geometry measurement is the owner's own program. That doesn't make it rare. In its October 2024 proposed rule for a new 213.236 (docket FRA-2024-0032), FRA said that "all 64 railroads covered by this proposed rulemaking are already voluntarily performing TGMS inspections at or above the frequency that would be required". The proposal would require three runs in any 365 days on busier Class 1 to 5 main track. No final rule had been confirmed when this page was written, so treat it as a proposal.

A voluntary geometry run still has consequences. The geometry limits in Subpart C apply whatever measures them, so once a car reports a deviation, the owner knows of it and 213.5(a) applies. The railway inspection car page explains what geometry, GRMS and vision cars each record, and how railroads act on the data.

Key takeaway: geometry inspection is mandatory on Class 1 to 5 track only above 5 in. of cant deficiency, but most large railroads run it anyway.

Worked example: does a speed increase trigger a geometry inspection?

Whether 213.333 applies depends on cant deficiency, which you can calculate from the curve, its elevation and the speed. Section 213.57(b) sets the maximum curve speed as Vmax = √[(Ea + Eu) ÷ 0.0007D], where Ea is the actual elevation of the outside rail in inches, Eu the qualified cant deficiency in inches and D the degree of curvature. Rearranged, the cant deficiency at a given speed is Eu = 0.0007 × D × V² − Ea.

The case: a commuter railroad runs on Class 5 track (90 mph passenger maximum under 213.9). One curve is 2 degrees with 5 inches of actual elevation. The railroad wants to raise the posted speed on that curve.

Step 1: find the thresholds. At Eu = 3 in., Vmax = √(8 ÷ 0.0014) = 75.6 mph. At Eu = 5 in., Vmax = √(10 ÷ 0.0014) = 84.5 mph. So any posted speed above about 84 mph on this curve means operating above 5 in. of cant deficiency.

Step 2: apply the rule. At 85 mph, 213.57(i) applies 213.333(a) to (g), (j)(1), (k) and (m), 213.345 and 213.369(f) to the operation. The TGMS frequency in 213.333(a)(1) now applies on this Class 5 track.

Step 3: schedule it. Runs on Monday, March 15, 2027 and Monday, September 20, 2027 are 189 days apart and both fall in 2027, so the year complies. The next run must fall in 2028 and be at least 120 days after September 20. A run on March 14, 2028 (176 days later) works. Pairing January 5 with April 20 would not, because those dates are only 105 days apart.

What the example shows: a 1 mph change, from 84 to 85 mph on one curve, moves the territory from no federal geometry mandate into a twice-yearly TGMS requirement with a two-day field verification window. The 5-in. elevation used here is an average over the curve body. Section 213.57 defines Ea as the average of 11 points over each 155-foot segment, so field data, not design drawings, should drive the calculation.

What does a gage restraint measurement system inspection check?

A GRMS inspection measures how far the rails spread under a combined vertical and lateral load, which shows whether ties and fasteners can still hold gage. Section 213.110(a) says an owner "may elect to implement" GRMS, with a Portable Track Loading Fixture (PTLF), to determine compliance with the crosstie (213.109) and fastener (213.127) requirements. It is an alternative way to judge tie and fastener condition, not an added mandate.

The owner must notify FRA's Track and Structures Division at least 30 days before designating a GRMS segment, and at least 10 days before removing one. The vehicle measures gage restraint at intervals of no more than 16 inches under at least 10 kips of vertical load per rail. Two exception levels follow. A first-level exception, such as loaded gage over 58 inches or a gage widening projection (GWP) over 1 inch, requires an immediate 10 mph restriction. A second-level exception limits speed to Class 3.

So a designated 8 MGT freight branch needs a GRMS run at least every 14 months, while a designated 1.5 MGT line whose only passenger service runs at 25 mph can go 24 months. On Class 8 and 9 track GRMS is mandatory, once a calendar year with at least 170 days between runs (213.333(h)).

Exception reports go to a fully qualified 213.7 person "prior to the next inspection required under § 213.233" (213.110(i)). The owner must also train every fully qualified 213.7 person on GRMS territory in the technology (213.110(k)). The formulas and a worked reading of three GRMS locations are on the railway inspection car page.

Key takeaway: GRMS is optional on most track, but once an owner designates a segment, its intervals and exception actions become binding.

How are CWR track and joints inspected under 213.119?

CWR inspections are set by the owner's own CWR plan, which 213.119 requires to cover when track is physically inspected and how CWR joints are inspected. CWR is rail welded into lengths over 400 feet. The plan must be approved or conditionally approved by FRA under 213.118, and the owner must comply with it.

Section 213.119(g) requires procedures for inspecting track to identify "Buckling-prone conditions in CWR track", such as tight or kinky rail and recently disturbed track, and "Pull-apart prone conditions in CWR track". The owner decides when those inspections are made and what remedial action follows. A sun kink found this way is a CWR plan matter, not a 213.113 rail defect.

Section 213.119(h) requires periodic on-foot inspections of CWR joints for cracked bars, loose or missing bolts, rail end batter or mismatch, and signs of rail movement. The table in 213.119(h)(6) sets the minimum number per year by class and tonnage:

The people who inspect CWR track must be designated under 213.7(c), which requires a comprehensive CWR training course, demonstrated competence and a recorded examination. Section 213.119(i) adds annual re-training. The continuous welded rail page explains rail neutral temperature, joints and the plan's other contents.

Key takeaway: CWR inspection frequencies are partly the owner's choice, but the joint table sets a floor, and only 213.7(c) persons may do the work.

When is a special inspection required under 213.239?

A special inspection is required after any event that might have damaged the track, as soon as possible and, if possible, before the next train. The whole of 213.239 is one sentence:

"In the event of fire, flood, severe storm, or other occurrence which might have damaged track structure, a special inspection shall be made of the track involved as soon as possible after the occurrence and, if possible, before the operation of any train over that track." (49 CFR 213.239)

The rule sets no method, scope or inspector qualification. In practice the owner's 213.7 designated inspectors make it, and the "other occurrence" wording reaches derailments, washouts, earthquakes, high-water events and vehicle strikes on the track. What the inspection covers depends on what could have been damaged: a flood calls for checks of the roadbed, ballast and culverts, while a derailment calls for checks of the rail, fastenings and ties under the wreck.

A derailment also raises a rail question that a visual special inspection can't answer: whether wheel impacts cracked rail internally. That is a decision for the owner, often made by testing the derailment zone before full speed returns. The rail inspection after derailment page covers that sequence.

Key takeaway: the special inspection is event-driven, not scheduled, and the rule leaves its scope to the owner's judgment.

Which railway track inspection finds which condition?

No single railway track inspection finds every condition, so a compliant program assigns each condition to the inspection designed to find it. The matrix shows the primary inspection for common conditions and the ones that can only hint at them.

Two cross-checks matter most. A geometry car that reports a rough spot over a joint may be showing a broken rail or bar, which needs a person on foot. A rail test that loses its back-wall echo over a stretch may be pointing at poor coupling, poor ballast or a defect, and only the qualified operator can decide whether the search there was valid.

Who performs each railway track inspection?

The track owner designates or qualifies everyone who inspects track; FRA certifies no track inspectors. Section 213.7(b) opens "Each track owner to which this part applies shall designate qualified persons to inspect track for defects."

Under 213.238(a), "A provider of rail flaw detection may be the track owner", so internal testing can be done in house or contracted. Contractors performing any Part 213 function must do it as the part requires (213.5(f)), but the owner stays responsible for compliance unless it formally assigns that responsibility under 213.5(c).

The page track inspection services: what Part 213 lets an owner contract out covers who may be contracted for each inspection type and what the contract should say.

What records does each inspection produce?

Every Part 213 inspection must leave a record, and the retention periods differ by type. Section 213.241(a) requires the owner to keep "a record of each inspection required to be performed on that track under this subpart".

Section 213.241(b) also requires the owner to designate one location within 100 miles of each State it operates in, where copies of the visual, switch and CWR records are kept or can be viewed after 10 days' notice from FRA. The record is often what an FRA inspector reviews first, so a missing signature or an unrecorded untested stretch can be a finding even where the track itself is sound.

What a regular inspection schedule can't guarantee

Meeting every minimum interval in Part 213 doesn't mean every defect will be found. Section 213.1(a) itself says a combination of conditions, "none of which individually amounts to a deviation", may still require remedial action.

• Visual inspection can't see inside the rail. A transverse fissure or detail fracture can grow to a large share of the head with nothing showing on the surface.
• Internal rail tests have blind spots. Shelling and head checks can block the beam from defects beneath them, and lost coupling leaves rail untested. Under 213.237(g) untested rail doesn't count as inspected, but it only gets retested if the operator records it.
• Coverage of the rail section is partial. Vehicle testing covers the head and web well, but not the whole of the base, and frogs and switch points interrupt the search.
• Geometry and GRMS runs are snapshots. Conditions change between runs, especially after rain, freeze-thaw or track work.
• The minimum isn't the right interval for every line. Older rail, heavy axle loads, cold weather and past service failures are reasons to inspect more often than Part 213 requires. On Class 1 and 2 track, no internal rail testing is required at all, so the owner has to decide whether to test.
• The rules don't set a method for special inspections. The scope of a 213.239 inspection depends entirely on the owner's procedure and the inspector's judgment.

The honest summary is that each inspection type narrows the risk for the conditions it was built to find, and none of them covers the others' gaps.

How EMA Industries applies this

EMA Industries performs ultrasonic rail flaw testing, the internal rail inspection in this list, for transit agencies, short lines and industrial track owners, along with rail weld inspection. We're based in Southern California and mobilize nationwide. Whoever tests your rail, the report should show the segment and mileposts tested, every stretch where a valid search couldn't be made, and the location, type and size of each defect, so the owner can meet 213.237 and 213.241. To scope internal rail testing for your territory, see our ultrasonic rail testing services or contact us.

Related reading: Railroad track inspection under 49 CFR 213.233 · The role of railway inspection cars · Track inspection services: what can be contracted out · Hi-rail truck vs inspection cart vs walking · Hi-rail rail flaw testing for track owners · FRA track safety standards (Part 213)

Frequently asked questions

How often are railway tracks inspected?

It depends on the inspection type and track class. Visual inspections run weekly on most Class 1 to 3 main track, twice weekly on Class 4 and 5 or where passenger trains or over 10 MGT run, and monthly on yards and other Class 1 to 3 track. Switches are walked monthly, and internal rail tests come at least every 370 days or 30 MGT on Class 4 and 5 track.

Who is allowed to inspect railroad track?

A person the track owner designates under 49 CFR 213.7(b), based on at least a year of track inspection experience or a mix of experience and training. CWR work needs a 213.7(c) designation, and internal rail testing needs a 213.238 qualified operator. FRA doesn't certify track inspectors; its inspectors audit the owner's work.

Can a geometry car replace walking track inspections?

No. Section 213.233(b) allows inspection devices only to supplement visual inspection, so the weekly or twice-weekly inspections by a designated person are still required. A geometry car measures gage, alinement and surface well, but it doesn't see broken bolts, cracked bars or washed-out ballast.

Is ultrasonic rail testing required on all track?

No. Section 213.237 requires internal rail inspections only on Class 3, 4 and 5 track, and 213.339 covers Class 6 and higher. The rule names no method; ultrasonic testing is the industry's standard way to meet it. Owners of Class 1 and 2 track may still choose to test.

What inspection is required after a flood or derailment?

A special inspection under 49 CFR 213.239, made as soon as possible after the event and, if possible, before any train runs over the track. The rule doesn't set the method. After a derailment many owners also test the rail in the impact zone for internal damage before restoring full speed.

Sources

• 49 CFR 213.233, Visual track inspections, eCFR (read on Cornell LII, 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 213.239, Special inspections, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.241, Inspection records, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.333, Automated vehicle-based inspection systems, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.57, Curves; elevation and speed limitations, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.110, Gage restraint measurement systems, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.119, Continuous welded rail (CWR); plan contents, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.7, Designation of qualified persons, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.5, Responsibility for compliance, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.9, Classes of track: operating speed limits, eCFR
• Track Safety Standards; Improving Rail Integrity (January 24, 2014), Federal Register
• FRA train accident data, dataset byy5-w977, data.transportation.gov (queried October 24, 2026)
• Cornell LII text of 49 CFR Part 213 (alternate copy)