In September 2015 Graham-White Company, a manufacturer of electric locomotive parking brakes, petitioned the FRA for a waiver of compliance on 49 CFR 231.27(a)(2), which requires hand brake wheels be affixed to the input shaft using a square taper fit not less than 7/8″ square. Graham-White believes that their key and shaft design provides an equal or greater amount of safety than what is specified in 49 CFR 231.27. They are asking for relief from the hand brake shaft regulation and be permitted to use the key and shaft design that is currently in service on Graham-White electric parking hand brakes.
At this time FRA has no plans to hold a public hearing on the matter but will accept comments from interested parties until December 24, 2015.
