49 CFR § 215.123 - Defective couplers.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t49/s215.123"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "49 CFR § 215.123 - Defective couplers."
title_number: 49
title_name: "Transportation"
section_number: "215.123"
section_name: "Defective couplers."
chapter_name: "FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION"
part_number: "215"
part_name: "RAILROAD FREIGHT CAR SAFETY STANDARDS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "49 U.S.C. 20102-03, 20107, 20171; 28 U.S.C. 2461; and 49 CFR 1.89."
regulatory_source: "44 FR 77340, Dec. 31, 1979, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "215"
---


# 215.123 Defective couplers.

A railroad may not place or continue in service a car, if—

(a) The car is equipped with a coupler shank that is bent out of alignment to the extent that the coupler will not couple automatically with the adjacent car;

(b) The car has a coupler that has a crack in the highly stressed junction area of the shank and head as shown in the figure below (see figure 2).

(c) The car has a coupler knuckle that is broken or cracked on the inside pulling face of the knuckle.

(d) The car has a knuckle pin or knuckle thrower that is:

(1) Missing; or

(2) Inoperative; or

(e) The car has a coupler retainer pin lock that is—

(1) Missing; or

(2) Broken; or

(f) The car has a coupler with any of the following conditions:

(1) The locklift is inoperative;

(2) The coupler assembly does not have anticreep protection to prevent unintentional unlocking of the coupler lock; or

(3) The coupler lock is—

(i) Missing;

(ii) Inoperative;

(iii) Bent;

(iv) Cracked; or

(v) Broken.