[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 49, Volume 2]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 49CFR179.16]



[Page 1035]

 

                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

 

   CHAPTER I--PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, 

                      DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

 

PART 179_SPECIFICATIONS FOR TANK CARS--Table of Contents

 

                  Subpart B_General Design Requirements

 

Sec. 179.16  Tank-head puncture-resistance systems.



    (a) Performance standard. When the regulations in this subchapter 

require a tank-head puncture-resistance system, the system shall be 

capable of sustaining, without any loss of lading, coupler-to-tank-head 

impacts at relative car speeds of 29 km/hour (18 mph) when:

    (1) The weight of the impact car is at least 119,295 kg (263,000 

pounds);

    (2) The impacted tank car is coupled to one or more backup cars that 

have a total weight of at least 217,724 kg (480,000 pounds) and the hand 

brake is applied on the last ``backup'' car; and

    (3) The impacted tank car is pressurized to at least 6.9 Bar (100 

psig).

    (b) Verification by testing. Compliance with the requirements of 

paragraph (a) of this section shall be verified by full-scale testing 

according to appendix A of this part.

    (c) Alternative compliance by other than testing. As an alternative 

to requirements prescribed in paragraph (b) of this section, compliance 

with the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section may be met by 

installing full-head protection (shields) or full tank-head jackets on 

each end of the tank car conforming to the following:

    (1) The full-head protection (shields) or full tank-head jackets 

must be at least 1.27 cm (0.5 inch) thick, shaped to the contour of the 

tank head and made from steel having a tensile strength greater than 

379.21 N/mm2 (55,000 psi).

    (2) The design and test requirements of the full-head protection 

(shields) or full tank-head jackets must meet the impact test 

requirements in Section 5.3 of the AAR Specifications for Tank Cars 

(IBR, see Sec. 171.7 of this subchapter).

    (3) The workmanship must meet the requirements in Section C, Part 

II, Chapter 5, of the AAR Specifications for Design, Fabrication, and 

Construction of Freight Cars (IBR, see Sec. 171.7 of this subchapter).



[Amdt. 179-50, 60 FR 49077, Sept. 21, 1995, as amended by Amdt. 179-50, 

61 FR 33255, June 26, 1996; 66 FR 45390, Aug. 28, 2001; 68 FR 75759, 

Dec. 31, 2003]