Railroad - Subparts F & G

Class 2 and Class 3 Special Handling Requirements

Division 2.1 flammable gas and Class 3 - Flammable liquids must not be loaded, transported, or stored in a rail car equipped with any type of lighted heater or open-flame device, or in a rail car equipped with any apparatus or mechanism utilizing an internal combustion engine in its operation.

Heating or refrigeration apparatus are permissible on a motor vehicle loaded on a flatcar when the motor vehicle is loaded with Division 2.1 flammable gas or Class 3 - Flammable Materials if the following requirements are met:

• The lading space is not equipped with any electrical apparatus that does not meet specifications of being non-sparking or explosion-proof.
• There are no combustion apparatus in the lading space.
• There is no connection for the return of air from the lading space to any combustion apparatus.
• The heating system conforms to §393.77 and does not heat any part of the lading over 54°C (129°F).

Cylinders, metal barrels, or drums containing Class 2 - Gases and Class 3 - Flammable Liquids may be transported in stock cars, gondola cars, and flat cars; however, they must not be transported in hopper bottom cars.

Special handling requirements can be found in §174.200 for Class 2 - Gases and in §174.300 for Class 3 - Flammable Liquids.

Class 2 - Gases - Material Cylinders

Cylinders containing Class 2 - Gases being transported in a rail car must be:

• Securely latched in an upright position so as to prevent overturning
• Loaded into racks securely attached to the car
• Packed in boxes or crates of such dimensions so as to prevent overturning
• Loaded in a horizontal position

Specification DOT 4-L cylinders being transported in a rail car must be loaded in upright positions and securely braced.

Class 3 - Flammable Liquid in Tank Cars and Materials Extremely Poisonous by Inhalation

A tank car containing Class 3 - Flammable Liquids, other than liquid road asphalt or tar, must not be unloaded unless it is consigned or reconsigned for delivery and unloaded on a private track, or to a party using railroad side facilities that are equipped for piping the liquid from the tank car to permanent storage tanks of sufficient capacity.

Division 2.3 materials and Division 6.1 extremely poisonous by inhalation materials must adhere to the restrictions in §174.600.

To learn more about Railroad HAZMAT visit our DOT Railroad HAZMAT Online Training web page.