2023 New York Laws › RRD - Railroad › Article 3 - Construction, Operation and Management › 51-A - Clearances.

§  51-a.  Clearances.  Clearance  distance between adjacent tracks and
  between tracks and adjacent structures or obstructions and  between  the
  top  of  the rail and any overhead wire, bridge, viaduct or obstruction.
  All tracks hereafter constructed or reconstructed by every  railroad  in
  this  state  shall be laid and maintained so as to provide the following
  minimum distance between adjacent tracks and between tracks and adjacent
  or overhead structures or obstructions:
1. Twenty-two feet between the top of the rail and any overhead  wire,
  bridge,  viaduct  or other obstruction when operating conditions require
  men to ride or work on the top of cars, except as hereinafter  provided.
  Structures  constructed,  or  under construction, prior to the effective
  date hereof, including the extension of said structures by the  erection
  of  abutting  buildings,  may  be  maintained at existing clearances and
  additional tracks may be constructed and existing  tracks  reconstructed
  thereunder at the same clearance.
Overhead clearance above the top of the rail of such tracks located at
  the  entrance  and  inside of buildings may be reduced to eighteen feet,
  provided that, when an overhead clearance of less than  twenty-two  feet
  exists  on  tracks inside such buildings, movements of railway equipment
  shall be brought to a stop before entering such building.  In  switching
  movements  requiring  a  number  of entries, stop shall be required only
  upon initial entry.
Clearances provided in this section shall not apply to electric  wires
  and  equipment  required over present and future tracks for operation of
  trains by electric energy, provided the railroad  concerned  promulgates
  and  enforces rules that prohibit any employee from being on top of cars
  while being operated under lower clearances than provided  for  in  this
  section.
Clearances  provided in this section shall not apply to engine houses,
  engine house facilities or tipples. These clearances shall not apply  to
  facilities used for servicing cars, nor for loading or unloading of bulk
  commodities, where such compliance is not reasonably practicable.
2.  Side  clearances  from the center line of tangent railroad tracks,
  used or proposed to be used for transporting  freight  cars,  except  as
  hereinafter  provided, shall be as provided herein. However, structures,
  including platforms and  tracks,  constructed,  or  under  construction,
  prior  to  the  effective  date  hereof  including the extension of said
  structures by the erection of abutting buildings, may be maintained  and
  extended at existing clearances.
All structures and obstructions above the top of the rail except those
  hereinafter  specifically  mentioned are to have a side clearance of not
  less than eight feet six inches as measured from the center line of  the
  track.
Platforms,  except  platforms  adjacent to the main or passing tracks,
  four feet or less above the top of the rail may have  lesser  clearances
  than eight feet six inches from the center line of the track on one side
  of  such tracks only and where a full clearance of eight feet six inches
  is maintained on the opposite side of the  track  or  track  centers  to
  adjacent track are not less than fourteen feet.
Platforms  four feet six inches or less above the top of the rail when
  used principally for loading  or  unloading  refrigerator  cars  may  be
  constructed eight feet from the center line of the track.
Platforms  previously  constructed  at  less  than  clearances  herein
  prescribed may  be  extended  at  such  lesser  clearances  unless  such
  extension  is  in  connection  with  the  reconstruction  of an original
  platform.
Low passenger platforms not over eight inches above  the  top  of  the
  rail  may  be  five  feet  one  inch from the center line of track. High

  passenger platforms four feet or less above the top of  a  rail  may  be
  five feet seven inches from the center line of the track.
Side clearances, other than for platforms, on sides only, at entrances
  to  and  inside  of buildings shall be not less than eight feet from the
  center line of the track.
Switchboxes, switch-operating mechanisms and accessories necessary for
  control and operating of signals and interlockers projecting four inches
  or less above the top of a rail shall be not less than three  feet  from
  the center line of the track.
The  center  spindle  of  signal  and switch stands three feet or less
  above  the  top  of  a  rail  and  located  between  tracks,  where  not
  practicable  to provide clearances otherwise prescribed herein, shall be
  not less than six feet from the center line of the track.
Through bridges supporting the track affected, tunnels, water  columns
  and  oil  columns shall be not less than eight feet from the center line
  of the track, except where special protection is  required  for  unusual
  commodities.
Clearances  for  through  bridges supporting the track affected, water
  barrel platforms and  refuge  platforms  on  bridges  and  trestles  not
  provided  with  walkways,  handrails,  water barrels, water columns, oil
  columns, block signals,  cattle  guards,  and  stock  chutes,  when  all
  portions thereof are four feet or less above the top of the rail, may be
  decreased  to  an  extent  defined by a line extending diagonally upward
  from a point level with the top  of  the  rail  and  five  feet  distant
  laterally  from  the center line of the track to a point four feet above
  the top of the rail and eight feet distant  laterally  from  the  center
  line  of  the  track,  provided, however, that the minimum clearance for
  handrails and water barrels on bridges with walkways shall be seven feet
  nine inches, and, provided further that the minimum clearance for fences
  of cattle guards shall be six feet nine inches.
Lesser clearances authorized herein for handrails  and  water  barrels
  shall  not  be  applicable  to through bridges where work of trainmen or
  yardmen requires them to be upon the  decks  of  such  bridges  for  the
  purpose  of coupling and uncoupling cars in the performance of switching
  service on a switching lead.
Side clearances specified herein shall not apply to mail cranes during
  such time as the arms of such mail cranes are supporting a mail sack for
  delivery, provided the top arm is not then higher than  ten  feet  eight
  inches above the top of the rail and neither arm extends within six feet
  five inches from the center line of the track.
Icing  platforms  and  supports  shall have side clearance of not less
  than eight feet.
Operations  over  portions  of  track  adjacent  to  icing   platforms
  heretofore constructed with side clearance of less than eight feet shall
  be restricted, except in emergencies, to movement or switching of trains
  containing refrigerator cars to be iced, and necessary use of such track
  for unloading of supplies required for operation of icing dock.
Side  clearances specified herein shall not apply to intertrack fences
  located on the center line between tracks.
Clearances provided in this section  shall  not  apply  to  an  engine
  house, engine house facilities or tipples, facilities used for servicing
  cars,  or  for  loading  or  unloading  of  bulk commodities, where such
  compliance is not reasonably practicable.
Side clearances specified herein shall not  apply  to  car  retarders,
  derails,  switch point protectors, guard rails and similar appurtenances
  projecting three inches or less above the top of the rail.
All minimum side clearances prescribed in this section are for tangent
  tracks. Structures  adjacent  to  curve  tracks  shall  have  additional
  minimum side clearance compensating for curvature.
3.  Overhead  and side clearance prescribed herein may be decreased to
  the extent of a line extending diagonally downward  from  a  point  four
  feet  from the center line of the track twenty-two feet above the top of
  the rail to a point eight feet from the center  line  of  the  track  at
  sixteen feet above the top of the rail.
For  tracks  located  at  the  entrance  to  and inside buildings with
  eighteen feet overhead and eight  feet  side  clearances  as  prescribed
  herein,  the overhead and side clearances may be decreased to the extent
  of a line extending diagonally downward from a point four feet from  the
  center  line  of  the track eighteen feet above the top of the rail to a
  point eight feet from the center line of  the  track  at  fourteen  feet
  above the top of the rail.
Canopies  at  one  side  of  a  track  at  freight  platforms  may  be
  constructed at not less than four feet from the center line of the track
  provided the height of such canopies is  at  least  seventeen  feet  six
  inches  above the top of the rail and further provided full clearance of
  eight feet six inches is maintained on the opposite side  of  the  track
  from  the  canopy  or  track centers to adjacent track are not less than
  fourteen feet.
Shelters over platforms  used  for  passenger  car  operation  may  be
  constructed  at  not less than four feet six inches from the center line
  of the tracks, provided the height is not less than fifteen  feet  above
  the  top  of  the rail and provided the railroads promulgate and enforce
  rules prohibiting employees from riding on the side  of  equipment  when
  standing above car floor height.
4.  The  minimum  distance between the center lines of parallel tracks
  shall be not less than thirteen feet six inches for main tracks and  not
  less  than  thirteen  feet six inches for yard and side tracks except as
  hereinafter provided.
The center line of any track, except a main track or a passing  track,
  parallel  and  adjacent  to a main track or a passing track, shall be at
  least fifteen feet from the center line of such main  track  or  passing
  track; provided, however, that, where a passing track is adjacent to and
  at  least fifteen feet distant from a main track, the other track may be
  constructed adjacent to such passing track with clearance  of  not  less
  than thirteen feet six inches.
The center line of any ladder track, constructed parallel to any other
  adjacent  track,  shall  have a clearance of not less than eighteen feet
  from the center line of such other track except parallel  ladder  tracks
  shall  have  a  clearance  of not less than nineteen feet center line to
  center line.
The minimum distance between the center lines  of  parallel  team  and
  house tracks shall be not less than thirteen feet six inches.
Tracks constructed, or under construction, prior to the effective date
  hereof may be extended without increasing distances between tracks.
5.  No  merchandise,  material  or  other  articles shall knowingly be
  permitted to remain for an unreasonable time piled or assembled  on  the
  ground or on a platform adjacent to any track at a distance of less than
  eight feet six inches from the center line of the track.
Space  between  tracks  ordinarily used by train and yardmen and other
  employees as a walkway in discharge of their  duties  and  space  beside
  such  tracks  within  eight  feet  six inches of the center line thereof
  shall be kept in reasonably suitable condition for such purpose.
6. Except as otherwise provided herein, where  the  overhead  or  side
  clearances  between  a track and any building, structure or facility are

  less than the minimum prescribed herein, but were created prior  to  the
  effective  date  hereof,  minimum  clearances prescribed herein shall be
  provided whenever a building, structure  or  facility  is  relocated  or
  reconstructed;    however,    upon   petition,   the   commissioner   of
  transportation may grant specific requests  for  future  continuance  of
  such  prior  clearances  at  such  reconstructed  building, structure or
  facility when application therefor has been made as provided herein.
7. Nothing herein shall be  construed  as  restricting  the  temporary
  distribution  of  materials  or  the  performance  of  work  on, over or
  adjacent to tracks, when such distribution or performance  is  necessary
  in  the construction or maintenance of facilities or equipment, provided
  such  distribution  and  performance  shall  be  carried  out  within  a
  reasonable time under conditions reasonably necessary to provide for the
  safety of all concerned, including proper notice by train order, message
  or bulletin.
If,  in  any  particular  case, exemption from any of the requirements
  herein is deemed necessary by the railroad concerned,  the  commissioner
  of  transportation  may  grant the application of such railroad for such
  exemption when accompanied by a petition setting  forth  the  conditions
  existing  and  the  reason why such exemption is asked. Any exemption so
  granted will be limited to the particular case covered by the  petition.
  In   connection  with  any  construction  under  his  jurisdiction,  the
  commissioner of transportation need not comply with this section  if  in
  his  judgment  such  compliance is not feasible and he obtains a written
  statement from the railroad concerned that it has no objection  to  such
  noncompliance.
8.  Wherever  the  words  "railroads",  "railroad  tracks",  "tracks",
  "buildings", "entrances  to  and  inside  of  buildings",  "structures",
  "facilities", "platforms", and other similar terms are used herein, they
  shall  apply  not  only to property owned by or leased to common carrier
  railroads but also to include all privately owned property  serviced  by
  the railroads.
The   provisions   herein   shall  not  apply  to  repairs,  renewals,
  maintenance, extensions, additions, or rearrangements, in  substantially
  the same location and within the general plan of existing installations,
  provided that existing clearances shall not be reduced.