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49 CFR § 272.9 - Definitions.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t49/s272.9"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "49 CFR § 272.9 - Definitions."
title_number: 49
title_name: "Transportation"
section_number: "272.9"
section_name: "Definitions."
chapter_name: "FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION"
part_number: "272"
part_name: "CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS PLANS"
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, 20109 note; 28 U.S.C. 2461 note; and 49 CFR 1.89."
regulatory_source: "79 FR 16233, Mar. 25, 2014, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "272"
---

# 272.9 Definitions.

As used in this part—

*Accident/incident* has the meaning assigned to that term by part 225 of this chapter.

*Administrator* means the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration or the Administrator's delegate.

*Associate Administrator* means the Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety and Chief Safety Officer of the Federal Railroad Administration or that person's delegate.

*Class I* has the meaning assigned to that term by the regulations of the Surface Transportation Board (49 CFR part 1201; General Instructions 1-1).

*Commuter railroad* means a railroad, as described by 49 U.S.C. 20102(2), including public authorities operating passenger train service, that provides regularly-scheduled passenger service in a metropolitan or suburban area and commuter railroad service that was operated by the Consolidated Rail Corporation on January 1, 1979.

*Critical incident* means either—

(1) An accident/incident reportable to FRA under part 225 of this chapter that results in a fatality, loss of limb, or a similarly serious bodily injury; or

(2) A catastrophic accident/incident reportable to FRA under part 225 of this chapter that could be reasonably expected to impair a directly-involved employee's ability to perform his or her job duties safely.

*Directly-involved employee* means a railroad employee covered under § 272.7—

(1) Whose actions are closely connected to the critical incident;

(2) Who witnesses the critical incident in person as it occurs or who witnesses the immediate effects of the critical incident in person; or

(3) Who is charged to directly intervene in, or respond to, the critical incident (excluding railroad police officers or investigators who routinely respond to and are specially trained to handle emergencies).

*FRA* means the Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Washington, DC 20590.

*Home terminal* means an employee's regular reporting point at the beginning of the tour of duty.

*Intercity passenger railroad* means a railroad, as described by 49 U.S.C. 20102(2), including public authorities operating passenger train service, which provides regularly-scheduled passenger service between large cities.