This notification provides a brief summary of each AAR Circular Letter issued during the prior month. TrinityRail monitors these Circular Letters as they relate to or may impact TrinityRail’s fleet, its customers, its shop network and its manufacturing operations. Please click on the hyperlinks below to access the full circular. The circular number is hyperlinked to the TrinityRail QA Portal. Members of the portal will be able to open the Circular Letters and any attachments. Non-members will need to access the Circulars via their AAR Circular Subscriptions.
These Circular Letter – Quick Notes are intended to improve accessibility to the users and are not proof of revision to the AAR, MSRP’s, Office or Field Manuals per AAR MSRP-J M-1003 2.3.5.
C-13837
Subject: Informational Circular, Authentication and Validation of Automated Single Car Air
Brake Tests
Date Issued: August 2, 2021
Date Effective: August 2, 2021
Group: Manufacturer, Repair Shop, Car Owner
Summary: In connection with AAR’s Regulatory Modernization efforts, the FRA published Final Rule entitled Miscellaneous Amendments to Brake System Safety Standards & Codification of Waivers in December of 2020. Recognizing the benefit of an Automated Single Car Test over a manual test, FRA made permanent the extension for cars that receive a Single Car Test with an Automated Single Car Test Device.
C-13838
Subject: Solicitation for Comments for Proposed Revisions to AAR MSRP Section J, Specification for Quality Assurance M-1003
Date Issued: August 13 2021
Date Effective: October 1, 2021
Group: Manufacturer, Repair Shop
Summary: The AAR Quality Assurance Committee is proposing revisions to MSRP Section J, Specification for Quality Assurance M-1003. The planned release date for this revision is October 2021. AAR QA Auditors will begin utilizing the revision upon release. However, auditors will not document a nonconformance finding under the new requirements until March 2022, allotting six months for M-1003 certified facility’s QA Programs to be revised accordingly.
CPC-1384
Subject: Recommended Railroad Operating Practices for Transportation of Hazardous Materials
(OT55R)
Date Issued: August 16, 2021
Date Effective: August 16, 2021
Group: Car Owner, Shipper
Summary: AAR’s Safety and Operations department is amending OT-55 by adding back in Appendix 3, the list of Environmentally Sensitive Chemicals. The Sample Request for Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Information will now be in Appendix 4. These are the only changes from OT-55-Q. AAR Circular No. OT-55-R (attached) becomes effective April 30, 2021 and supersedes OT-55-Q.
C-13839
Subject: IMPLEMENTED. AAR MSRP, Section K-V Electronics Environmental Requirements
and Systems Management, Standard S-9452A.V2.0
Date Issued: August 16, 2021
Date Effective: August 16, 2021
Group: Locomotive
Summary: Standard S-9452A.V2.0 details the wayside interface unit (WIU) asset-specific data dictionary for ITC systems management (ITCSM).
C-13840
Subject: IMPLEMENTED. AAR MSRP, Section K-V Electronics Environmental Requirements
and Systems Management, Standard S-9451A.V2.0
Date Issued: August 17, 2021
Date Effective: August 17, 2021
Group: Locomotive
Summary: Standard S-9451A.V2.0 details the WIU asset-specific requirements for ITC systems management (ITCSM).
C-13841
Subject: IMPLEMENTED. AAR MSRP, Section K-I Railway Electronics Systems Architecture
and Concept of Operations, Standard S-9076.V1.0
Date Issued: August 17, 2021
Date Effective: August 17, 2021
Group: Locomotive
Summary: Standard S-9076.V1.0 describes the Interoperable Train Control Systems Management Gateway requirements for processing interoperable ISMP messages.
C-13842
Subject: IMPLEMENTED. AAR MSRP, Section K-V Electronics Environmental Requirements
and Systems Management, Standard RP-9457.V2.0
Date Issued: August 17, 2021
Date Effective: August 17, 2021
Group: Locomotive
Summary: Recommended Practice RP-9457.V2.0 provides a recommended practice for testing the PTC system. The MTS establishes a common approach and terminology for testing PTC systems for use among railroads and their vendors.
CPC-1385
Subject: Non-Compliance with the PRV Registration System
Date Issued: August 18, 2021
Date Effective: August 18, 2021
Group: Car Owner, Manufacturer, Repair Shop
Summary: The purpose of this letter is to remind industry of how the PRV registration system works. Facilities are attempting to register PRVs without approved PRV bar code labels, facilities not authorized to register PRVs are attempting to register PRVs, and facilities not authorized to associate a PRV to a tank car are attempting to do so.
C-13843
Subject: Updated Schedule for 2021 AAR M-1003 Basic and Advanced Auditor Training Classes
Date Issued: August 18, 2021
Date Effective: August 18, 2021
Group: Informational
Summary: The AAR Quality Assurance Committee has finalized the following schedule for the remaining 2021 AAR M-1003 Quality Assurance Training classes. The Basic Auditor Training classes will remain in Webinar format throughout 2021, but the Advanced Auditor Training classes will be in-person, on-site training classes.
C-13844
Subject: Save the Date – Announcing the 2022 AAR’s 34th Quality Assurance Auditor and
Industry Conference
Date Issued: August 19, 2021
Date Effective: August 19, 2021
Group: Informational
Summary: The AAR Quality Assurance Committee has scheduled the Annual AAR Quality Assurance Auditor and Industry Conference for April 12-14, 2022, in Fort Worth, Texas. All registrants are invited to attend the first 2 days of the event (Tuesday & Wednesday presentations & workshops).
C-13845
Subject: Solicitation of Comments for Proposed Revisions to MSRP – Section T-Interoperable Fuel Tenders for Locomotives
Date Issued: August 25, 2021
Date Effective: August 25, 2021
Group: Car Owner, Locomotive, Manufacturer
Summary: The purpose of this circular letter is to seek comments on changes to the M-1004 spec to accommodate revised testing requirements as outlined in Chapter 11.
C-13846
Subject: Solicitation of Comments – Proposed Revisions to MSRP, Section M, LOCOMOTIVES
AND LOCOMOTIVE INTERCHANGE EQUIPMENT: Standard S-5513 – LOCOMOTIVE
ALERTER REQUIREMENTS
Date Issued: August 26, 2021
Date Effective: August 26, 2021
Group: Locomotive
Summary: This Circular letter is soliciting comments for proposed revisions to MSRP Section M, Standard: S-5513 – LOCOMOTIVE ALERTER REQUIREMENTS. The Locomotive Committee recently reviewed S-5513 to address 1) needed additional locomotive rollaway protection criteria, 2) a potential inconsistency with a CFR regulation and 3) two (2) editorial revisions.
C-13847
Subject: Solicitation for Comments for Revisions to MSRP Section J, Specification for Quality Assurance M-1003
Date Issued: August 31, 2021
Date Effective: August 31, 2021
Group: Informational
Summary: The purpose of this circular letter is to solicit comments for revisions proposed to Section J, Specification for Quality Assurance M-1003. This Circular Letter supersedes Circular Letter C-13838 in its entirety including attachments.