Track Safety Standards; Inspections of Joints in Continous Welded Rail (CWR)
The Final Rule as it appears in the Federal Register can be found at: http://www.fra.dot.gov/downloads/CWR_JointInspections.pdf
Click here to download CWR Joint Fracture Report
 

Submission of Fracture Reports
Submissions for January-June data are due to the FRA by 7/31/2007.
Click here to download Data Dictionary
To assist with data collection process, the FRA has provided several methods for submitting the Continuous Welded Rail (CWR) fracture reports. Railroads can submit their reports by using fillable Adobe PDF file, electronic submission using eXtensible Markup Language (XML) format, Excel spreadsheet, or traditional paper form.
Options available for data submission to FRA:
  • Web submission
    • This option allows the railroad to create a user account and directly upload PDF, XML, and XLS files to a CWR website.
  • Electronic submission: Data submission using eXtensible Markup Language (XML) format
    • This option allows the railroad to decide how best to capture the information, yet still submit it to FRA in a standard and valid way. The FRA has provided a XML Schema Dictionary (XSD), which defines the data format the FRA will accept. The railroads can submit their data to the FRA by sending the XML files directly to the FRA via email cwr@frasafety.net.
  • Fillable PDF format
    • This option uses a fillable Adobe PDF file to capture and submit the data. The railroad can complete each report and submit the Adobe generated XML file to the FRA via submit button located on the form. The submit button will email the XML file to a predetermined email address cwr@frasafety.net provide in the form.
  • EXCEL Spreadsheet format
    • This option allows the railroad to enter data into an Excel Spreadsheet. The spreadsheet contains drop-down lists and validation for each field in the CWR report. When completed, the railroad can email the spreadsheet to the FRA at cwr@frasafety.net.
  • Paper copy of form
    • This option allows the railroad to print and manually complete a hardcopy form. The railroads can submit the paper forms to
    Ken Rusk
    Federal Railroad Administration
    RRS-15
    1120 Vermont Ave NW
    Mail Stop 25
    Washington DC, 20005