49 CFR § 228.9 - Manual, electronic, and automated records; general.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t49/s228.9"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "49 CFR § 228.9 - Manual, electronic, and automated records; general."
title_number: 49
title_name: "Transportation"
section_number: "228.9"
section_name: "Manual, electronic, and automated records; general."
chapter_name: "FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION"
part_number: "228"
part_name: "PASSENGER TRAIN EMPLOYEE HOURS OF SERVICE; RECORDKEEPING AND REPORTING; SLEEPING QUARTERS"
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. 103, 20103, 20107, 21101-21109; 49 U.S.C. 21301, 21303, 21304, 21311; 28 U.S.C. 2461 note; and 49 CFR 1.89."
regulatory_source: "37 FR 12234, June 21, 1972, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "228"
---


# 228.9 Manual, electronic, and automated records; general.

(a) *Manual records.* Each manual record maintained under this part shall be—

(1) Signed by the employee whose time on duty is being recorded or, in the case of a train and engine crew or a signal employee gang, signed by the ranking crewmember;

(2) Retained for two years at locations identified by the carrier; and

(3) Available upon request at the identified location for inspection and copying by the Administrator during regular business hours.

(b) *Electronic records.* Each electronic record maintained under this part shall be—

(1) Certified by the employee whose time on duty is being recorded or, in the case of a train and engine crew or a signal employee gang, certified by the reporting employee who is a member of the train crew or signal gang whose time is being recorded;

(2) Electronically stamped with the certifying employee's name and the date and time of certification;

(3) Retained for 2 years in a secured file that prevents alteration after certification;

(4) Accessible by the Administrator through a computer terminal of the railroad, using a railroad-provided identification code and a unique password.

(5) Reproducible using the printing capability at the location where records are accessed.

(c) *Automated records.* Each automated record maintained under this part shall be—

(1) Signed electronically by the employee whose time on duty is being recorded or, in the case of a member of a train crew or a signal employee gang, digitally signed by the reporting employee who is a member of the train crew or signal gang whose time is being recorded as provided by § 228.206(a);

(2) Stamped electronically with the certifying employee's electronic signature and the date and time the employee electronically signed the record;

(3) Retained for 2 years in a secured file that prevents alteration after electronic signature;

(4) Accessible by the Administrator through a computer terminal of the railroad; and

(5) Reproducible using printers at the location where records are accessed.

[74 FR 25348, May 27, 2009, as amended at 83 FR 43998, Aug. 29, 2018]