49 CFR § 229.65 - Spring rigging.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t49/s229.65"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "49 CFR § 229.65 - Spring rigging."
title_number: 49
title_name: "Transportation"
section_number: "229.65"
section_name: "Spring rigging."
chapter_name: "FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION"
part_number: "229"
part_name: "RAILROAD LOCOMOTIVE 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. 20103, 20107, 20133, 20137-38, 20143, 20168, 20701-03, 21301-02, 21304; 28 U.S.C. 2461 note; and 49 CFR 1.89."
regulatory_source: "45 FR 21109, Mar. 31, 1980, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "229"
---


# 229.65 Spring rigging.

(a) Protective construction or safety hangers shall be provided to prevent spring planks, spring seats or bolsters from dropping to track structure in event of a hanger or spring failure.

(b) An elliptical spring may not have its top (long) leaf broken or any other three leaves broken, except when that spring is part of a nest of three or more springs and none of the other springs in the nest has its top leaf or any other three leaves broken. An outer coil spring or saddle may not be broken. An equalizer, hanger, bolt, gib, or pin may not be cracked or broken. A coil spring may not be fully compressed when the locomotive is at rest.

(c) A shock absorber may not be broken or leaking clearly formed droplets of oil or other fluid.