Industry Standards for Passenger Transit, Rail Vehicle Specifications
Carshell Construction


Carshell Construction

This section defines the carshell specifications and standards for the structural requirements.  Structural details include construction material specifications, loading and stress/strain requirements, and specific configuration requirements. 

In 1980, Association of American Railroads (AAR) ceased providing standards for passenger transit rail cars to focus of their primary interest of freight railroads. In 1995, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) asked the American Public Transit Association (APTA) to take over the custody of standards for passenger transit rail vehicles.

The following standards from APTA provide test methods, criteria, and values used to specify the minimum requirements for passenger rail vehicles. These APTA standards are based upon the original AAR standards, and the Federal Requirements 49 CFR part 238, adding additional industry accepted criteria to their standards. The APTA standards provide complete coverage (meet or exceed) of the FRA requirements for 49 CFR Part 238, (ref; Tom Peacock, APTA)


Standard: Federal Register 49 CFR part 238 - Passenger Equipment Safety Standards
Purpose: This part of the Federal Register prescribes minimum Federal safety standards for railroad passenger equipment. These standards for vehicle structural strength are now included in the APTA standards
Criteria: See APTA Standards for application
Usage: Use the APTA standards in place of this regulatory standard
Standard: APTA SS-C&S-034-99 - Standard for the Design and Construction of Passenger Railroad Rolling Stock
Purpose: This Standard contains structural and crashworthiness requirements for railroad passenger equipment of all types, including locomotive-hauled equipment, MU and cab cars, and non-passengercarrying power cars and locomotives.
Criteria: Specify compliance with standard
Usage: Shall comply with applicable requirements of APTA SS-C&S-034-99
Standard: APTA SS-C&S-002-98 - Standard for Static Strength of Attachment of Major Equipment to the Carbody Structure of Railroad Passenger Equipment.
Purpose: This standard contains minimum requirements for the static strength of attachment of major equipment to the carbody structure of Railroad passenger equipment.
Criteria: Specify compliance with standard
Usage: Shall comply with applicable requirements of APTA SS-C&S-002-98
Standard: APTA SS-C&S-005-98 - Standard for Carbody in the Compressive Strength for Railroad Passenger Vehicles
Purpose: This standard contains requirements for carbody static and the compressive (buff) strength for new railroad passenger equipment of all types, including coaches, and MU and cab cars, and non-passenger-carrying power cars and locomotives.
Criteria: Specify compliance with standard
Usage: Shall comply with applicable requirements of APTA SS-C&S-005-98
Standard: APTA SS-C&S-006-98 - Standard for Attachment Strength of Interior Fittings for Passenger Railroad Equipment
Purpose: This standard contains minimum requirements for the static strength of interior fittings and the strength of attachment of interior fittings to the carbody structure, and recommended design practices for interior fittings of Railroad passenger equipment.
Criteria: Specify compliance with standard
Usage: Shall comply with applicable requirements of APTA SS-C&S-006-98
Standard: APTA SS-C&S-007-98 - Standard for Fuel Tank Integrity for Non-Passenger Carrying Passenger Locomotives
Purpose: This standard establishes requirements, and provides guidance for establishing a minimum level of integrity for all diesel fuel containment systems designed to except, store, and feed fuel two primary diesel engines installed.  Minimum structural integrity, and vehicle integration, and construction requirements applied to the fuel containment systems are covered.
Criteria: Specify compliance with standard
Usage: Shall comply with applicable requirements of APTA SS-C&S-007-98
Standard: APTA SS-C&S-008-98 - Standard for Truck to Carbody Attachment Strength
Purpose: This standard contains requirements for truck to carbody vertical and horizontal attachment strength for new Railroad passenger equipment of all types, including coaches, MU and cab cars, and non-passenger carrying power cars and locomotives.
Criteria: Specify compliance with standard
Usage: Shall comply with applicable requirements of APTA SS-C&S-008-98
Standard: APTA SS-C&S-010-98 - Standard for Carbody Roof Strength for Railroad Passenger Equipment
Purpose: This standard contains requirements for the strength of the roof on new railroad passenger equipment of all types, including coaches, MU and cab cars, and non-passenger carrying power cars and locomotives.  The arrangement of the roof structure, and loads imposed during maintenance and accidents rollover are included.
Criteria: Specify compliance with standard
Usage: Shall comply with applicable requirements of APTA SS-C&S-010-98
Standard: APTA SS-C&S-013-99 - Standard for Corner Post Structural Strength for Railroad Passenger Equipment
Purpose: This specification contains requirements for corner posts for new railroad passenger equipment of all types, including coaches, MU and cab cars, and
Criteria: Specify compliance with standard
Usage: Shall comply with applicable requirements of APTA SS-C&S-013-99
Standard: APTA SS-C&S-014-99 - Standard for Collision Post Structural Strength for Railroad Passenger Equipment
Purpose: This specification contains requirements for collision posts for new railroad passenger equipment of all types, including coaches, MU and cab cars, and non-passenger-carrying power cars and
Criteria: Specify compliance with standard
Usage: Shall comply with applicable requirements of APTA SS-C&S-014-99
Standard: APTA SS-C&S-018-99 - Standard for Carbody Side Strength for Railroad Passenger Equipment
Purpose: This standard provides requirements for the strength of the sides of Railroad passenger carrying vehicles, including coaches, MU and cab cars.  Requirements for the arrangement of the side frame structure, and for the side impact and rollover loads are included.
Criteria: Specify compliance with standard
Usage: Shall comply with applicable requirements of APTA SS-C&S-018-99