Railroad Track Inspection Under 49 CFR 213.233: How Regular Inspections Work

A railroad track inspection is the visual check that 49 CFR 213.233 requires, made on foot or from a vehicle by a person the owner designates under 213.7. Class 4 and 5 track is inspected twice weekly; Class 1 to 3 main track weekly, or twice weekly with passenger trains or over 10 million gross tons (MGT) last year.

That schedule is only the frame. This page explains how a 213.233 inspection actually works: who may make it, what the inspector looks at under Subparts B to E, the rules for vehicle and foot inspections, switch inspections under 213.235, special inspections under 213.239, the record required by 213.241 and the remedial action an inspector must start on the spot. It also shows where geometry cars and internal rail flaw testing fit, because neither one replaces the visual inspection.

For the whole of Part 213, start with our FRA track safety standards hub. For a survey of inspection methods, from geometry cars to ground-penetrating radar, see top railway inspection techniques.

On this page: frequency by class · who may inspect · what is checked · foot vs vehicle · switches · special inspections · remedial action · records · geometry cars · track inspection vs rail testing · worked example: one month's plan · limits · FAQ

What is a railroad track inspection under 49 CFR 213.233?

A railroad track inspection under 213.233 is a scheduled visual examination of the track structure for compliance with Part 213, made by a person designated under 213.7. Section 213.233(a) says that all track "shall be inspected in accordance with the schedule prescribed in paragraph (c)" by such a person.

The inspection is visual by design. The inspector looks at the roadbed, the track geometry, the rail, the crossties, the fastenings, the joints and the special trackwork, and compares what they see against the limits in Subparts B to E. The rule allows instruments to help, but it says plainly that they are a supplement:

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

Three things make a 213.233 inspection different from other inspection activity on a railroad:

• It is mandatory on all track to which Part 213 applies, including excepted track, which 213.4(c) requires to be inspected at the Class 1 frequency.
• It is made by an individual with authority to act. The inspector doesn't just log conditions. Under 213.233(d) they must start remedial action when they find a deviation.
• It produces a signed record the same day under 213.241(b), and that record is what FRA and state inspectors audit.

Class 6 to 9 track, the high-speed classes in Subpart G, has its own visual inspection rule in 213.365, with a person designated under 213.305 instead of 213.7.

Key takeaway: 213.233 is the routine, eyes-on inspection of the whole track structure. Everything else in an inspection program is built around it.

How often must track be inspected under 213.233?

The required frequency depends on track class, track type and traffic. The table below gives the full schedule from 213.233(c), with the Subpart G and switch rules beside it.

Source: 49 CFR 213.233 on eCFR and 49 CFR 213.365, text read on Cornell LII, October 2026.

What the two footnotes say

The 213.233(c) table carries two footnotes, and both change how a schedule is built.

Footnote 1 defines the inspection week as a seven-day period "beginning on Sunday and ending on Saturday." A weekly or twice-weekly count is therefore made inside each Sunday-to-Saturday block. An inspection missed on Thursday can't be made up on the following Monday, because Monday belongs to the next week.

Footnote 2 relieves some tourist operations from the twice-weekly passenger trigger. It applies where the passenger service consists solely of tourist, scenic, historic or excursion operations as defined in 49 CFR 238.5. The twice-weekly rule doesn't apply in an inspection week when either no passenger service runs that week, or the service runs only on a weekend or a three-day extended weekend and an inspection is made no more than one calendar day before it. A tourist line that runs only on weekends can therefore keep a weekly schedule, provided the weekly inspection is made no more than one calendar day before the weekend, which in practice means on the Friday.

How the spacing rules work

The minimum intervals stop an owner from bunching inspections. A weekly inspection needs at least 3 calendar days between inspections. Inspecting on a Saturday and again on the following Sunday would satisfy two different inspection weeks but break the 3-day spacing. A twice-weekly inspection needs at least 1 calendar day between the two, so Monday and Wednesday works and Monday and Tuesday doesn't.

The 10 MGT trigger looks back at the preceding calendar year, not a rolling 12 months. An owner should check each segment's tonnage every January and move any Class 1 to 3 segment that crossed 10 MGT onto the twice-weekly schedule.

Key takeaway: count inspections inside Sunday-to-Saturday weeks, respect the minimum spacing, and re-check the 10 MGT trigger each January.

Who may perform a railroad track inspection?

Only a person the track owner has designated under 49 CFR 213.7 may make a 213.233 inspection. FRA does not certify track inspectors. Section 213.7(b) opens: "Each track owner to which this part applies shall designate qualified persons to inspect track for defects."

To be designated under 213.7(b), a person must have:

1. at least 1 year of experience in railroad track inspection, or a combination of track inspection experience and training from a track inspection course or a college-level program related to track inspection
2. demonstrated to the owner that they know the Part 213 requirements for the track they are responsible for, can detect deviations from them, and can prescribe remedial action to correct or safely compensate for them
3. authorization from the owner to prescribe remedial actions, pending review by a person designated under 213.7(a)

The owner trains, judges and authorizes the person, and keeps the record. Section 213.7(e) requires a record of each designation in effect, the date it was made and its basis. FRA's role is to audit those records and the inspections, not to issue a credential.

Two further designations matter to inspectors:

• CWR track, 213.7(c). A person who inspects continuous welded rail track must also have completed a comprehensive training course on the owner's written CWR procedures, demonstrated competence, and passed a recorded examination on those procedures.
• Maintenance supervision, 213.7(a). A person designated under 213.7(a) supervises restorations and renewals under traffic and reviews remedial action prescribed by a 213.7(b) inspector. Under 213.5(a)(3) an owner may run over noncompliant track under the authority of a 213.7(a) person.

Contractors don't escape the rule. Section 213.5(f) says that any person, "including a contractor for a railroad or track owner," who performs a Part 213 function must perform it in accordance with Part 213. A contract track inspector still needs the owner's 213.7 designation.

A designated track inspector is not automatically a qualified rail flaw detection operator. Internal rail testing under 213.237 must be run by an operator qualified under 213.238, a separate qualification with its own training, 160 hours of supervised experience and written authorization. Our hi-rail track inspector guide explains how the two roles work from the same vehicle.

Key takeaway: the owner designates the inspector; FRA audits the designation.

What does the inspector check under Subparts B to E?

A 213.233 inspection checks the track against every requirement in Subparts B to E of Part 213: roadbed, geometry, track structure and track appliances. Section 213.233(b) asks for a speed that lets the inspector "visually inspect the track structure for compliance with this part", so the inspection's scope is the rule itself.

Roadbed and drainage

Section 213.33 requires drainage facilities under or beside the roadbed to be "maintained and kept free of obstruction". The inspector watches for ponding against the ballast shoulder, silted culvert inlets, and mud pumping up through the ballast, which usually means water is trapped in the subgrade. Section 213.37 is about vegetation. It covers growth that is a fire hazard to track-carrying structures, obstructs signs and signals, interferes with trackside duties, or prevents employees from inspecting moving equipment.

Track geometry

Gage is measured 5/8 inch below the top of the rail head. On Class 4 and 5 track it must be between 4 ft 8 in. and 4 ft 9½ in., and on Class 2 and 3 track between 4 ft 8 in. and 4 ft 9¾ in. (213.53(b)). The visual inspector carries a gage and a level, measures where the track looks wrong, and checks the measurements against the class tables. Unloaded hand measurements can understate what the track does under a train, which is one reason owners add geometry cars and gage restraint measurement (see the geometry car section below).

Track structure

Crosstie condition is checked per 39-foot segment. Section 213.109(b)(4) sets minimum counts of non-defective ties: 8 on tangent Class 2 and 3 track, 12 on Class 4 and 5, and more in turnouts and on curves over 2 degrees (9, 10 and 14 respectively). Section 213.109(c) defines a defective timber tie, for example one broken through, or one cut by the tie plate through more than 40 percent of its thickness. Concrete ties have their own list in 213.109(d).

Rail defects are where visual inspection and rail testing meet. A visual inspector can find a broken rail, a broken base, a crushed head or flattened rail (both defined in 213.113(d) as 3/8 inch or more deep and 8 inches or more long), and the surface signs of some internal defects. The 213.113(d) definitions describe some of those signs. A horizontal split head is "generally accompanied by a flat spot on the running surface", and for a vertical split head "a crack or rust streak may show under the head close to the web." Most internal defects show nothing at the surface until they are large, which is why 213.237 exists.

Track appliances

Subpart E covers derails (213.205). The inspector confirms that each derail is clearly visible, sits properly on the rail, and has no lost motion when locked.

Key takeaway: the inspection's checklist is Subparts B to E. An owner's inspection form should map to those sections so a deviation can be cited by rule.

Should a track inspection be made on foot or from a vehicle?

Section 213.233(b) allows either, provided the speed lets the inspector see the track structure, and a vehicle may not exceed 5 mph over track crossings and turnouts. Beyond that limit, the vehicle's speed is left "at the sole discretion of the inspector, based on track conditions and inspection requirements."

Main-line inspections are commonly made from a hi-rail vehicle. The rule attaches four conditions to vehicle inspections:

The traverse rule closes an obvious gap. Without it, an inspector could cover track 2 of a double-track line from track 1 indefinitely. With it, every main track gets a direct pass at least every 14 days.

Foot inspection is slower but sees more. Walking gives a close view of joint bars, fastenings, tie plates and the rail base, which a moving vehicle passes too quickly to read. An owner may choose to walk curves with a history of wide gage, bridge approaches and CWR joints on a set cycle, alongside the vehicle schedule; 213.119(h)(6) already requires some CWR joints to be inspected on foot. Switches are always inspected on foot (213.235), and the 5 mph limit means a vehicle inspection slows to walking pace over every turnout anyway.

The note to 213.233 protects the inspector's judgment. Except for the 5 mph limit and the multi-track conditions, nothing in the section limits "the inspector's discretion as it involves inspection speed and sight distance." An inspector who slows down for rain, low sun or a suspect curve is doing what the rule intends.

Key takeaway: vehicle inspection is allowed, but every main track must be traversed at least every two weeks, and the record must say which track was traversed.

How are switches, turnouts and crossings inspected under 213.235?

Each switch, turnout, track crossing and moveable bridge lift rail assembly on Class 1 to 5 track must be inspected on foot at least monthly, under 213.235(a). The monthly walk is in addition to the twice-weekly or weekly passes, which cross the same turnouts at no more than 5 mph.

Two more rules complete 213.235:

• 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 to all of its positions during one inspection in every 3-month period.
• 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 they are used.

"Track crossing" here means a rail-to-rail crossing (a diamond), not a highway-rail grade crossing. On foot, the inspector checks the items in 213.133 to 213.143: fastenings intact, switch points fitting the stock rail, no obstructions in the switch or flangeways, frog and guard rail condition, and gage at the guard face.

Our guide to railroad switch and crossing inspection covers the turnout defects in detail, including why cast manganese frogs are inspected visually rather than by ultrasound in service.

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

When is a special inspection required under 213.239?

A special inspection is required after any fire, flood, severe storm or other occurrence that might have damaged the track structure. Section 213.239 reads in full:

"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."

The rule sets no method, no scope and no form. Those come from the owner's procedures. Owner procedures typically name triggers such as heavy rain over culverts and bridges, high water, earthquakes, brush fires next to the right-of-way, extreme heat on CWR, and derailments, which count as an "other occurrence." A crew report of a rough ride or a sharp lurch is a reason to look as well, though the rule doesn't name it.

A special inspection doesn't reset the 213.233 schedule. If a storm inspection falls on a Wednesday, the regular twice-weekly inspections for that week are still required, although in our reading an owner may count the special inspection as one of them if it covered the whole segment to the 213.233 standard and was recorded as such. Our article on rail inspection after a derailment covers the post-derailment case, including when an internal rail test is worth adding.

Key takeaway: if something might have damaged the track, inspect it before the next train where you can.

What happens when a railroad track inspection finds a defect?

The inspector must "immediately initiate remedial action" under 213.233(d), and the owner must then bring the track into compliance, halt operations, or operate under a 213.7(a) person under 213.5(a). Repair moves on out-of-service track must be authorized by a 213.7 qualified person.

The general rule: 213.5 and 213.9(b)

When track doesn't meet the requirements of its class, it doesn't simply become "defective." Section 213.9(b) moves it down a class:

"If a segment of track does not meet all of the requirements of its intended class, it is reclassified to the next lowest class of track for which it does meet all of the requirements of this part."

That is the regulatory basis for most speed restrictions an inspector places. If the segment doesn't even meet Class 1, 213.9(b) allows Class 1 speeds for no more than 30 days under the authority of a 213.7(a) person, after that person determines operations may safely continue. Otherwise the track comes out of service until repaired.

Worked example: crossties in one 39-foot segment

An inspector on Class 4 tangent track (60 mph freight) counts 10 non-defective crossties in a 39-foot segment.

1. Class 4 tangent track needs 12 (213.109(b)(4)). 10 is short by 2, so the segment fails Class 4.
2. Class 3 tangent track needs 8. 10 meets it, so under 213.9(b) the segment is reclassified to Class 3.
3. The maximum speed falls to 40 mph freight and 60 mph passenger (213.9(a)), assuming the segment meets every other Class 3 requirement, including the joint tie rule in 213.109(e).

Now take the same count in a 3-degree curve. Class 4 needs 14 in curves over 2 degrees and Class 3 needs 10, so 10 ties just meets Class 3, with the same 40 mph result. If the inspector counts 9, the segment fails Class 3 (10 needed) and meets Class 2 (9 needed), so the speed falls to 25 mph freight. One more defective tie costs 15 mph through the curve.

Rail defects: 213.113

Rail defects follow their own rule. When an owner learns that a rail contains a defect listed in the 213.113 table, a person designated under 213.7 must decide whether the track may stay in use. If it can, no train may pass over the rail until it is replaced or repaired, or until the remedial action in the table is started (213.113(a)). Where the owner has only an indication, for example from a test car, it must verify it within 4 hours, or immediately for defects requiring remedial action A, A2 or B (213.113(b)).

For defects a visual inspector finds, the table works like this. A broken base more than 1 inch and up to 6 inches long takes remedial action D: joint bars within 7 days, and no more than 30 mph until the bars are applied. A broken base over 6 inches takes action A (a person designated under 213.7 visually supervises each operation over the rail) or E and I (joint bars plus a 30 mph limit). A crushed head or flattened rail takes action H, 50 mph or the class maximum, whichever is lower. Our FRA defect codes guide sets out the whole table.

Key takeaway: a deviation reclassifies the track under 213.9(b), and a rail defect triggers the 213.113 table; in both cases the inspector acts on the spot.

What must a track inspection record contain under 213.241?

Each 213.233 and 213.235 inspection record must be prepared the day the inspection is made, signed or otherwise certified by the inspector, and kept for at least one year (213.241(b)).

Electronic records are allowed under 213.241(j) if the system uniquely identifies each author, prevents a completed record from being modified or replaced, and stores amendments separately with their author. The inspector must start electronic storage of each record within 72 hours of completing the inspection. Records must also be available to the people who made the inspections and to those making later inspections of the same segment (213.241(h)).

The internal rail testing record is different. Under 213.241(c) and (d), a 213.237 record lists the defects found under 213.113, their size if not removed before the next train, the initial remedial action, and any track not validly tested, and it is kept for at least two years after the inspection and one year after the initial remedial action.

Key takeaway: a visual inspection record is a same-day, signed document kept for one year; a rail test record is kept for at least two.

How do geometry cars relate to visual track inspection?

A geometry car supplements the 213.233 inspection; it never replaces it, and on Class 1 to 5 track FRA requires one only for operations at more than 5 inches of cant deficiency. Section 213.333(a)(1) requires a qualifying Track Geometry Measurement System (TGMS) on Class 1 to 5 track "for operations at a qualified cant deficiency, Eu, of more than 5 inches," at least twice per calendar year and at least 120 days apart. Class 6 to 9 track has its own, more frequent TGMS schedule in 213.333(a)(2) to (4).

Where 213.333 applies, it sets the following:

• Design: measurements within 3 ft of a wheel carrying at least 10 kips, sampled at 1 ft preferably and no more than 2 ft, with repeat runs agreeing within 1/8 inch (213.333(b)).
• Reports: a continuous plot and an exception report within 24 hours of the inspection (213.333(d)).
• Field action: the owner must field-verify and start remedial action for every exception to the class within two days (213.333(f)).
• Records: the plot, the exception report and the remedial action taken for each exception, kept for one year (213.333(g)).

Many owners also run geometry cars on track where no rule requires them, because a loaded measurement every foot finds gage, surface and alinement problems that a weekly visual pass can miss. In our reading, an exception report from such a run still puts the owner on notice of noncompliance, which brings in 213.5(a). Each exception then needs a 213.7 inspector to field-check it and act. Confirm your own practice with your FRA region.

Two related rules sit beside 213.333. Section 213.234 requires automated inspection technology, as a supplement to visual inspection, on Class 4 and 5 concrete-tie main track and on Class 3 concrete-tie main track with regularly scheduled passenger trains, for Class I and II railroads and certain passenger railroads. An October 2024 FRA proposal would add a new 213.236 requiring geometry measurement on busier Class 1 to 5 track; we found no final rule as of October 2026, so treat it as proposed.

Key takeaway: the geometry car measures, but the 213.7 inspector still inspects, verifies and acts.

How is track inspection different from internal rail testing under 213.237?

A 213.233 track inspection is a frequent visual check of the whole track structure; a 213.237 internal rail inspection is a periodic instrumented search for defects inside the rail. The two rules sit side by side in Subpart F. Section 213.237(a) begins "In addition to the inspections required by § 213.233", so neither satisfies the other.

Rule 213.237 names no method, but in practice internal rail testing is ultrasonic, and some test cars also carry induction or eddy current sensors. Those are rail flaw detection tools, not track inspection tools. A visual inspector can't find a 20 percent transverse fissure growing inside the head, and an ultrasonic test car doesn't count ties or check drainage.

For the internal testing intervals in full, read our guide to 49 CFR 213.237. For every federal inspection frequency on one page, see how often must rail be tested.

Key takeaway: run both programs, staffed by separately qualified people, on separate clocks.

Worked example: a month's inspection plan for a mixed Class 2, 3 and 4 territory

One illustrative territory needs 14 inspector days, 23 visual inspections and 24 switch inspections in November 2026, plus a rail test deadline. The territory is invented to show the rules working together, and every count below is worked from the rules above.

The territory:

All main track is CWR, so every inspector holds a 213.7(c) designation. November 1, 2026 is a Sunday, so the inspection weeks are November 1 to 7, 8 to 14, 15 to 21, 22 to 28, and November 29 to December 5.

Step 1: set each segment's 213.233 frequency.

• Segment 1 is Class 4, so it needs twice-weekly inspections.
• Segment 2 is Class 3, but at 12 MGT it carried more than 10 MGT last year, so it also needs twice-weekly inspections.
• Segment 3 is Class 2 at 3 MGT, so its main track and siding need weekly inspections, at least 3 days apart.
• The yard and industry tracks are "other than main track and sidings", so they need a monthly inspection, at least 20 days apart. The last one was October 20.

Step 2: pick the dates. Segments 1 and 2 are inspected on Mondays and Thursdays. Thursday, November 26 is Thanksgiving, so that week's second inspection moves to Friday the 27th. Monday the 23rd and Friday the 27th fall in the same inspection week with three days between them, which is more than the 1-day minimum.

Step 3: apply the vehicle rules. On the 6 miles of double track, one inspector in a hi-rail on Main 1 may inspect Main 2 at the same time, because the centers are 14 ft apart, well inside 30 ft, as long as visibility is clear. Main 2 must still be traversed at least every two weeks. The last traverse was October 19, so on November 2, 16 and 30 the inspector runs out on Main 1 and back on Main 2, each traverse 14 days after the last. The passing siding on Segment 2 is inspected from the main on each trip (15 ft centers) and traversed once in the month, on the 12th. The Segment 3 siding is traversed on the 10th. Each record shows which track was traversed (213.233(b)(4)).

Step 4: schedule the switches. All 23 regular turnouts get a monthly foot inspection: 10 on Segment 1, 6 on Segment 2 and 7 on Segment 3. The six single-rod switches on Classes 3 and 4 (four on Segment 1, two on Segment 2) must each be operated to all positions once every three months. Rotating two a month covers all six in each quarter, so two are operated during the November 9 walk. The Class 2 turnouts fall outside 213.235(b). The spur is used less than once a month, so its switch isn't on the monthly cycle. It is walked before the customer's car is placed on November 19 (213.235(c)).

Step 5: add the events. Heavy rain on Friday, November 13 runs over the culvert at MP 41.3. A special inspection under 213.239 is made at first light on Saturday the 14th, before the first train. The owner's contracted geometry car runs Segments 1 and 2 on November 17. No 213.333 requirement applies, because the territory has no operations above 5 inches of cant deficiency. The exception report lists three locations, and the Thursday inspector field-checks them on the 19th.

Step 6: check the rail test clock separately. Segment 1's last valid internal rail test was November 20, 2025.

• At 25 MGT a year, 30 MGT would take 30 ÷ 25 × 365 = 438 days.
• The calendar limit is 370 days, which is shorter, so the calendar controls. The test is due by November 25, 2026 (November 20, 2025 + 370 days).
• The test is booked for November 9 and 10, which leaves 15 days to retest any length where the operator couldn't make a valid search.

Segment 2 is "other" Class 3 track at 12 MGT a year. Its interval is the longer of annual or 30 MGT, and 30 MGT takes 30 ÷ 12 = 2.5 years, inside the 5-year cap. After a March 2025 test, nothing is due in November. Segment 3 is Class 2, so 213.237 sets no interval.

The month in numbers:

Visual inspections total 9 + 9 + 4 + 1 = 23, and switch inspections 23 + 1 = 24. The inspector days are the nine Monday and Thursday (or Friday) dates in November, the four Tuesdays, and the Saturday special inspection: 9 + 4 + 1 = 14. The yard inspection and the spur walk share days already counted. Miles traversed are 9 × 22 + 3 × 6 = 216 on Segment 1, 9 × 15 + 2 = 137 on Segment 2, and 4 × 8 + 1 + 3 = 36 on Segment 3: 389 miles in all, before the special inspection.

If Segment 2's traffic fell below 10 MGT for the calendar year, it could drop to weekly inspections from January, cutting its nine November-style trips to four or five a month.

Key takeaway: build each month from Sunday-to-Saturday weeks, plan holidays in advance, track the traverse rule, and keep the rail test deadline on its own clock.

What can't a visual track inspection find?

A visual inspection can't see inside the rail, can't measure the track under load, and can't see what is hidden. Those limits are why Part 213 adds 213.237 testing and, on some track, geometry measurement.

• Internal rail defects. Transverse fissures, detail fractures, compound fissures and most horizontal and vertical split heads grow inside the head with no surface sign until they are large or the rail breaks. Only an internal rail inspection finds them.
• Loaded geometry. Hand measurements are taken with no train on the track. Gage that is in limits unloaded can spread under a heavy car where ties or fastenings are weak. Gage restraint measurement (213.110) and loaded geometry cars show what the inspector can't.
• Hidden components. Joint bars hide the rail ends and the bolt holes behind them. Ballast covers the bottoms of ties. Grade crossings, platforms and paved track hide the rail base and web. Snow and standing water hide everything.
• Conditions between inspections. A twice-weekly schedule still leaves days between inspections. Heat, washouts and broken rails can appear in that gap, which is why 213.239 special inspections and crew reports matter.
• Viewing conditions. Night, rain, low sun and vehicle speed all reduce what an inspector can see. The rule leaves speed and sight distance to the inspector's judgment, and a good program backs that judgment.

An inspection program that meets every 213.233 interval can still miss a defect. The frequencies are a federal minimum, not a statement of what is enough on a given line.

Key takeaway: visual inspection is necessary but not sufficient; pair it with internal rail testing and measured geometry.

What are the most common mistakes in railroad track inspection programs?

The commonest errors are treating FRA as the certifier, mixing up the visual and rail test schedules, and assuming a machine run counts as an inspection.

How EMA Industries applies this

EMA Industries performs ultrasonic rail flaw testing under 49 CFR 213.237 for transit agencies, short lines and industrial track owners. We're based in Southern California and mobilize nationwide. Our work sits beside the owner's 213.233 inspection program, not in place of it. Our reports give the location, type and size of each defect and every stretch where a valid search couldn't be made, so the owner's 213.7 designated person can apply 213.113 and keep the 213.241 record complete. To schedule internal testing around your visual inspection calendar, see our ultrasonic rail testing services or contact us.

Related reading

• FRA track safety standards (49 CFR Part 213) explained
• Top railway inspection techniques: methods, rules and intervals
• How often must rail be tested? FRA inspection frequency by type
• 49 CFR 213.237 rail flaw detection inspection requirements
• Hi-rail track inspector: visual inspection, hi-rail UT and on-track safety
• Railroad switch and crossing inspection

Frequently asked questions

How often are railroad tracks inspected in the US?

Class 4 and 5 track is visually inspected twice weekly, at least one day apart. Class 1 to 3 main track and sidings are inspected weekly, or twice weekly where passenger trains run or the track carried over 10 MGT the previous year. Yards and industry tracks are inspected monthly, and switches are walked monthly (49 CFR 213.233 and 213.235).

Who certifies railroad track inspectors?

Nobody at the federal level. The track owner designates each inspector under 49 CFR 213.7, based on at least a year of inspection experience (or experience plus training) and demonstrated knowledge, and keeps a record of the designation. FRA audits those records but issues no certificate.

Does a track geometry car count as a 213.233 inspection?

No. Section 213.233(b) allows devices only to supplement visual inspection, so the weekly or twice-weekly inspections by a designated person are still required. On Class 1 to 5 track a geometry car is mandatory only for operations above 5 inches of cant deficiency (213.333).

How fast can a hi-rail go during a track inspection?

No more than 5 mph over track crossings and turnouts. Elsewhere the inspector sets the speed, but it must let them visually inspect the track structure for compliance with Part 213 (213.233(b)).

What is the difference between a track inspection and rail flaw testing?

A track inspection (213.233) is a frequent visual check of the whole track by a 213.7 designated person. Rail flaw testing (213.237) is a periodic instrumented search for defects inside the rail, run by a 213.238 qualified operator, typically every 370 days or 30 MGT on Class 4 and 5 track.

Sources

• 49 CFR 213.233, Visual track inspections, eCFR; text read on Cornell LII, October 2026 (last amended 85 FR 63389, Oct. 7, 2020)
• 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
• 49 CFR 213.53, Gage, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.109, Crossties, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.113, Defective rails, eCFR; remedial action table and notes in Track Safety Standards; Improving Rail Integrity, 79 FR 4234 (Jan. 24, 2014), govinfo
• 49 CFR 213.235, Inspection of switches, track crossings and lift rail assemblies, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.237, Inspection of rail, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.239, Special inspections, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.241, Inspection records, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.333, Automated vehicle-based inspection systems, eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.365, Visual track inspections (Class 6 and higher), eCFR
• 49 CFR 213.4, Excepted track, eCFR