§ 7.429. Line equipment.
(a) Hauling ropes. Hauling ropes shall conform to the following:
(1) Specifications and tests. A copy of the wire rope specifications of the manufacturer shall be available to the authority having jurisdiction. Such specifications shall include size, grade of rope, construction, type of core, and breaking strength based on values as published in United States Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards Simplified Practice Recommendations 198-50. Before installation, the manufacturer shall test to destruction a sample of the rope furnished and submit a certified report of the results. In the case of ropes of foreign origin, a test shall be made by a reputable testing agency approved by the authority having jurisdiction in order to obtain adequate proof.
(2) Tension limitation. Hauling ropes shall have a minimum static factor of safety of five when new, in that section in which the highest tension is encountered. Operating tension shall be controlled by the use of a freely moving counterweight.
(3) End fittings or splices. Splicing of hauling ropes on bicable tramways is not permitted, unless this rule would result in a shipping package that is too large to handle by existing means of transportation. In such a case, attention should be paid to the selection and splicing of the rope, based on the recommendations of the wire rope manufacturer. When splices are required on monocable tramways, they shall satisfy the requirements of § 7.446(3) (relating to capacity, speed and loading interval).
(4) Sockets. Sockets shall be so designed that no part is stressed in excess of the yield point of the materials used when the ropes are stressed to their catalog strength.
(5) End attachments other than current standard types. If types of end attachments are proposed which are other than the current standard types used in this country, their suitability shall be established by tests. The authority having jurisdiction may approve or disapprove the use of such proposed connection even though such tests are made.
(b) Cars. All parts of cars, including cabins, frames, and carriage trucks, shall be designed in accordance with accepted practices of design. The adequacy of designs is considered primarily on the basis of prior successful use, if any, and the competency of the designing engineers. The following specifics shall also apply:
(1) Cabin body. Passenger cabins shall be enclosed and ventilated and be equipped with doors that fill the entire entrance opening. Each door shall be locked during every trip in such a manner that it cannot be unlocked except by the conductor or other authorized personnel. The key shall be kept where it is not accessible to the public or passengers. A key shall also be placed under glass and posted to prohibit use except under specified emergency conditions. The capacity of each cabin shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the cabin. Means of emergency evacuation of passengers, acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction, shall be provided. All windows shall be of shatterproof material.
(2) Frame. The frame shall be securely fastened to the carriage trucks and the cabin in such a manner that it cannot work loose. The frame hanger shall be of sufficient length vertically so that under the worst condition of longitudinal sway the top of the cabin will not strike the hauling rope or the bottom of a tower saddle and thus expose the trucks to danger of derailment. The hanger may be shorter in length if effective sway dampers are used. See also paragraph (3)(iii).
(3) Trucks. Trucks shall comply with the following:
(i) Wheels. On bicable tramways, the weight of the cabin, frame and carriage shall be so distributed over all wheels that the load per wheel does not exceed that recommended by the track cable manufacturer. Wheels shall be designed to prevent them from leaving the track cable under all operating conditions. The diameter of wheels should be selected on the basis of whichever of the following criteria requires the greatest diameter:
(A) The recommendation of the track cable manufacturer.
(B) The allowable bearing pressure on the material, if any, with which the wheels are lined.
(ii) Track cable brakes. Each carriage on a bicable tramway shall be equipped with a brake that will grip the track cable. Such brake shall be capable of holding a fully loaded car at the point of maximum slope, and shall function automatically in case of a hauling rope failure and be capable of being manually applied by the cabin conductor. The authority having jurisdiction may permit the brake to be omitted if two or more hauling ropes are used, or if the profile of the tramway will not permit an uncontrolled cabin to gain abnormal speed or crash into a terminal.
(iii) Sway dampers. Sway dampers to reduce the longitudinal sway of cars shall be used if recommended by the tramway designer or the authority having jurisdiction. When used, they shall be designed to operate smoothly and without danger of derailment of the carriage trucks.
(4) Attendants. Each tramcar having a capacity of more than six passengers shall be served by a conductor trained in tramcar operation, emergency control and evacuation.
(c) Track cables. Track cables shall conform to the following:
(1) Specifications and tests. A copy of the specifications of the track cable manufacturer shall be available to the authority having jurisdiction. Such specifications shall include size, grade of track cable, construction and breaking strength. Before installation, the manufacturer shall test to destruction a sample of the cable furnished and submit a certified report of the results. In the case of cables of foreign origin, a test shall be made by a reputable testing agency approved by the authority having jurisdiction in order to obtain adequate proof.
(2) Tension limitations. Track cables shall be designed to have a minimum static factor of safety of three when new. Provisions shall be made to properly maintain track cable tension. Under the dynamic load applied by the track cable brake, this factor shall not be reduced below 2-1/2.
(3) Sockets. Sockets shall be so designed that no part is stressed in excess of the yield strength of the materials used when the cables are stressed to their catalog strength. Rules applying to unusual or special types of fittings are provided in subsection (a).
(4) Couplings. Track cable couplings shall not be used without the consent of the authority having jurisdiction. In the case of long track cables, couplings may be necessary, but such a situation should not preclude the use of a carriage brake designed accordingly. Track cable couplings shall not be reused.
(d) Grounding. Hauling ropes and track cables shall be connected metallically to one or both terminal structures so as to be grounded through such structures. When hauling ropes are used as conductors in the communication system, lightning protection should be provided while the tramway is in operation. At all other times, the ropes should be grounded.
Cross References This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 7.421 (relating to definitions); 34 Pa. Code § 7.422 (relating to applicability); 34 Pa. Code § 7.427 (relating to terminals and stations); 34 Pa. Code § 7.431 (relating to signs); 34 Pa. Code § 7.449 (relating to line equipment); and 34 Pa. Code § 7.469 (relating to line equipment).
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