[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29385-29386]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-12556]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Safety Advisory 2010-01
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Safety Advisory; Safety Appliance Securement,
Potential Failure of Welded and/or Notched Vertical Hand Brake Supports
on FTTX Flatcars.
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SUMMARY: FRA is issuing Safety Advisory 2010-01 in order to provide
guidance to interested parties concerning the inspection and repair of
FTTX series flatcars that have welded vertical hand brake supports that
have been modified to accommodate a 10-inch wide hand brake step. FRA's
Office of Railroad Safety Motive Power and Equipment (MP&E) Division
has been notified that approximately 1,851 FTTX series flatcars that
are owned by TTX Company (TTX) may have a notch cut into the vertical
hand brake supports, which compromises the safety of the hand brake
support angles.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Blankenship, Mechanical Engineer,
MP&E Division (RRS-14); FRA Office of Safety Assurance and Compliance,
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, telephone: (202)
493-6446.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 29, 2008, at approximately 10:17 a.m.
(CST), a railroad employee was riding a cut of four cars while
attempting to set the hand brake on Flatcar GVSR 209000. During this
task, the hand brake support angles, which had been previously welded,
suddenly broke; this may have contributed to the employee falling under
the rolling equipment, resulting in a fatality. Preliminary details of
this incident indicate that the welded vertical hand brake support
angles had an ``old break'' condition that allowed the remaining weld
to fail when force was applied to the hand brake. Field investigation
of the failed vertical hand brake support indicated that the hand brake
and/or brackets were improperly applied or not mechanically fastened to
the car. See Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Sections
231.1(a)(4)(iii) and 231.27(a)(4)(iii), and Safety Appliance Defect
Code 231.110.B3, requiring hand brake housing to be securely fastened
to a car. As a result of this fatality, FRA issued Safety Advisory
2008-02 stating that additional flatcars may have vertical hand brake
supports that could be subject to a similar type of failure.
Recognizing the need to ensure safety, FRA recommended that
railroads and car owners operating flatcars that have a vertical hand
brake support that is welded to the carbody carefully inspect the cars
to determine the adequacy of any welded securement. Further, any car
found with a defective condition should be immediately handled for
repair in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 20303, and repaired in accordance
with accepted industry practice or by using approved fasteners as
outlined in 49 CFR 231.1(a)(4)(iii). Welding, where present, must be
done in accordance with industry practice, as specified in American
Welding Society (AWS) Standards D1 and D15.
Regional FRA inspectors have recently observed flatcars in TTX
ownership with FTTX reporting marks, which may also pose a significant
safety risk on account of notched vertical handbrake supports. The
vertical handbrake supports appear to have been ``notched'' in order to
apply a nonstandard 10-inch brake step in place of the 8-inch brake
step that was originally designed for the cars. Cars tentatively
identified that may have the nonstandard 10-inch brake step include,
but are not limited to, the following car series:
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Known cars Possible series involved
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FTTX 961917............................... 961370-961917
FTTX 971554............................... 971049-971613
FTTX 972703, 972762, 972235............... 972047-972946
FTTX 940540............................... 940182-940872
FTTX 963325............................... 963325
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FRA has contacted the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and
the car owner, TTX, to alert AAR and its member railroads of the
potential safety risk these cars may pose in service. TTX and AAR have
issued an Early Warning (EW-5240) in accordance with AAR Rule 125,
which includes inspection instructions, temporary repair of affected
cars, and the recommended disposition of subject cars.
Recommended Action: Due to the application of nonstandard 10-inch
wide brake steps, the strength of the vertical hand brake stanchions
may have been compromised on the above-noted FTTX flatcars. As with the
GVSR flatcar, there is a potential for cracked vertical stanchions. FRA
recommends and has requested that TTX furnish FRA with the following
information for the FTTX cars involved:
1. The number of cars in TTX ownership (to include the reporting
marks with number series) that may have a welded vertical handbrake
support;
2. The location of each car that is in service or storage;
3. Each car that has been designated for scrapping, identified by
car number and storage location;
4. A full description, calculations, and drawings/sketches for the
proposed ``temporary fix'';
5. Any cars that have a ``notched stanchion,'' and any cars with
improperly applied hand brakes, must be handled in accordance with 49
U.S.C. 20303. Repairs to subject cars must be performed in accordance
with accepted industry practice or by using approved fasteners, as
outlined in 49 CFR 231.27(a)(4)(iii). Welding, where present, must be
performed to an acceptable manufacturing welding industry standard
(AWS) within a certified weld facility that typically makes weld
repairs to freight cars; and
6. A concise ``action plan'' that includes the following:
a. Schedule of car inspections covering those TTX cars potentially
at risk;
b. Description of car disposition (scrap, temporary repair, or
permanent repair);
c. Schedule of when all cars will have permanent repairs completed.
Schedule to include number of cars that will be repaired on a monthly
basis, and projected versus actual cars repaired;
d. List of all cars that have or will have a welded repair. The
list should include the name of the AWS-qualified shop that will make
the repair for each car; and
e. A final proposed permanent repair with attached drawings and
procedures.
At this time, FRA further recommends that AAR and TTX continue to
inspect and repair all of the above-noted series flatcars, and
immediately handle for repair those cars found with defective fastening
conditions in accordance with EW-5240 via the following steps:
1. Empty Cars. Conduct a visual inspection of the vertical hand
brake supports for cracks or evidence of a
[[Page 29386]]
stanchion that had previously been cracked and then weld repaired.
a. Any stanchion found with a crack in vertical stanchion, or
cracked and then weld repaired stanchion, should be handled in
accordance with the following: withhold car from loading; repair car
per TTX Company Drawing No. 17057 (Rev. E), Handbrake Temporary
Stanchion Repair; alert car owner; and request disposition of car.
Report car as MW (Activity Code)--Car moving on AAR approved owners
instructions-also includes move to scrap.
b. If no defects are found, the car may remain in service. Report
car as MR (Activity Code)--Car inspected; returned to service.
2. Loaded Cars. Conduct a visual inspection of the vertical hand
brake supports for cracks or evidence of a stanchion that had
previously been cracked and then weld repaired.
a. Any stanchion found with a crack in vertical stanchion, or
cracked and then weld repaired stanchion should be handled in
accordance with the following: repair car per TTX Company Drawing No.
17057 (Rev. E), Handbrake Temporary Stanchion Repair; move car to
destination and unload; withhold car from further loading; alert car
owner; and request disposition of car. Report car as MW--Car moving on
AAR approved owners instructions--also includes move to scrap.
b. If no defects are found, the car may remain in service. Report
car as MR--Car inspected; returned to service.
3. Temporary Repair. The temporary repair is fully documented in
the TTX Company Drawing identified above. The repair reinforces the
vertical stanchions with \1/2\'' plates. These doubler plates are
mechanically fastened to the vertical stanchions and are also
mechanically fastened into the end sill of the car. Disposition
requests noted in the above procedures should be directed to Mr. Rick
Clement at TTX. His direct phone number is (312) 984-3849. His e-mail
address is [email protected].
FRA may modify this Safety Advisory 2010-01, issue additional
safety advisories, or take other appropriate action necessary to ensure
the highest level of safety on the Nation's railroads.
Issued in Washington, DC on May 19, 2010.
Jo Strang,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety/Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010-12556 Filed 5-24-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P