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-14084
Subject: Implementation Circular: MSRP Section F, Sensors, Standard S-6101, Detector Calibration & Validation Requirements: ARCHIVED WILD Validation Standards
Date Issued: December 5, 2022
Date Effective: December 5, 2022
Group: Locomotive
Summary: This implementation circular is being released to the industry for revisions to the subject section(s) of the AAR’s Manual of Standards & Recommended Practices (MSRP). This intent is due to field test indications that further research will need to be undertaken to inform any future replacement validation plans for WILD. No comments were received from the industry in response to the above referenced comment circular and the specific section(s) noted in the referenced comment circular are now archived and no longer in effect.
C-14085
Subject: Solicitation for Comments to Proposed Revisions for MSRP, Section M, Locomotives & Locomotive interchange equipment: Standard S-5020 – Color Code For Identifying Fluids on Locomotive
Date Issued: December 9, 2022
Date Effective: December 9, 2022
Group: Locomotive
Summary: The purpose of this circular letter is to solicit comments on the Locomotive Committee proposed revisions and additions to the AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices (MSRP), Section M, Standard: S-5020 – Color Code for Identifying Fluids on Locomotive. Comments from interested parties are herewith solicited under the provisions of AAR Standard S-050. Please submit comments to Mike Fore, Director-Technical Services at AAR via email to mfore@aar.org.
C-14086
Subject: Informational Circular, Car Repair Facility Labor Rate – Effective January 1, 2023
Date Issued: December 14, 2022
Date Effective: January 1, 2023
Group: Repair shop
Summary: The Car Repair Facility Labor Rate, effective January 1, 2023 is $187.00, an increase of $37.65 (or 25.2%) from the labor rate calculated for October 1, 2022.The new national labor agreements were signed in the third quarter 2022 and immediately implemented at compounded retroactive wage increase of 14.1%. Shortline and RRA surveys were used to apply employer contributions to health & welfare, payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, and other direct labor expenses. This will be reflected in the January 1, 2023 release of the AAR Office Manual.
C-14087
Subject: Implemented. AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices (MSRP), Section K-VI Railway Data Management and Communications, Standards S-9503.V3.0
Date Issued: December 16, 2022
Date Effective: December 16, 2022
Group: Locomotive
Summary: Standard S-9503.V3.0 was Adopted in 2020 and Last Revised in 2022.S-9503.V3.0 will be incorporated into the next issue of the MSRP Section K-VI Railway Data Management and Communications. In the interim, please insert the Circular in your copy of the MSRP Section K-VI and be governed accordingly. Questions should be directed to Melody Sheahan, AAR, 425 Third Street SW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20024 or email msheahan@aar.org.
C-14088
Subject: Draft S-9452E.V1.0 – Cellular and Wi-Fi Dictionary is available for review and comment, in support of MSRP – Section K-V, Electronics Environmental Requirements and Systems Management
Date Issued: December 16, 2022
Date Effective: December 16, 2022
Group: Locomotive
Summary: The Positive Train Control Interoperability Committee (PTCIC) of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) is publishing DRAFT Standard S-9452E.V1.0 Cellular and Wi-Fi Dictionary for review and comment. The purpose of this document is to list a set of common data dictionary variables and events for cellular and Wi-Fi devices. Railroads and vendors may implement additional data dictionary variables and events for their own systems management purposes.In order to provide time for review and comment, this document will have a 30-day comment period. The time will begin with the posted date.All SharePoint technical and administrative issues should be directed to Railinc at csc@railinc.co. Other questions should be directed to Melody Sheahan, AAR at msheahan@aar.org.
C-14089
Subject: Draft S-9354.V3.0 – Edge Message Protocol is available for review and comment in support of MSRP – Section K-IV, Office Architecture and Railroad Electronics Messaging
Date Issued: December 16, 2022
Date Effective: December 16, 2022
Group: Locomotive
Summary: The Positive Train Control Interoperability Committee (PTCIC) of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) is publishing DRAFT Standard S-9354.V3.0 Edge Message Protocol for review and comment.This document specifies the Edge Message Protocol (EMP) message envelope. It describes the fields of the envelope, their semantics, and commentary about their use. Sufficient detail for implementation is provided. In order to provide time for review and comment, this document will have a 30-day comment period. The time will begin with the posted date. All SharePoint technical and administrative issues should be directed to Railinc at csc@railinc.co. Other questions should be directed to Melody Sheahan, AAR at msheahan@aar.org.
C-14090
Subject: Implemented. AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices (MSRP), Section K-II Locomotive Electronics and Train Control System Architecture, Standard S-9101.V1.2.1
Date Issued: December 16, 2022
Date Effective: December 16, 2022
Group: Locomotive
Summary: S-9101.V1.2.1 specifies an industry-standard architecture that defines the conventions for integrating electrical and electromechanical devices on board new road locomotives. This standard applies to all new road locomotives ordered after January 1, 2012. It also provides guidance for retrofitting older locomotives and provides options for incorporating components that conform to MSRP Section M, Specification M-590, “Locomotive Electronics System Architecture.” Standard S-9101.V1.2.1 was Adopted in 2012 and Last Revised in 2022.Questions should be directed to Melody Sheahan, AAR, 425 Third Street SW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20024 or email msheahan@aar.org.
C-14091
Subject: Implemented. AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices (MSRP), Section K-II Locomotive Electronics and Train Control System Architecture, Standard S-9102.V1.0
Date Issued: December 16, 2022
Date Effective: December 16, 2022
Group: Locomotive
Summary: S-9102.V1.0 specifies an industry-standard architecture that defines the conventions for integrating time services on board new road locomotives. This standard applies to all new time service devices ordered after January 1, 2022. It also provides guidance for retrofitting older locomotives. Standard S-9102.V1.0 was Adopted in 2022. Questions should be directed to Melody Sheahan, AAR, 425 Third Street SW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20024 or email msheahan@aar.org.
C-14092
Subject: Informational Circular, Canadian Car Repair Facility Labor Rate – Effective January 1, 2023
Date Issued: December 19, 2022
Date Effective: January 1, 2023
Group: Repair shop
Summary: The Canadian Car Repair Billing Labor Rate for January 1, 2023 is $239.37 CAD (Two hundred and thirty-nine Canadian dollars and thirty-seven cents). This represents an increase of $0.28 CAD (Twenty-eight Canadian cents) from the calculation for October 1, 2022.The change will be reflected in the January 1, 2023 release of the Canadian Price Master.
C-14093
Subject: January 2023 Field and Office Manuals, Summary of Comments and Implementation Details
Date Issued: December 20, 2022
Date Effective: January 1, 2023
Group: Informational
Summary: In July, October and November 2022, several Circular Letters soliciting comments to the proposed Rule changes were issued. In addition, several letters were issued that advised of approved changes that would become effective on January 1, 2023. Unless otherwise noted, the Rule changes are for the Field Manual.
C-14094
Subject: Implementation of Revisions to MSRP Section I, Intermodal Equipment Manual, M-998, IBC Handle Requirement
Date Issued: December 20, 2022
Date Effective: December 20, 2022
Group: Locomotive
Summary: The purpose of this circular letter is to notify the industry of revisions to MSRP Section I, Intermodal Equipment Manual, M-998, IBC Handle Requirements, regarding the orientation, length, and diameter of the IBC handle to improve ease of operation. The Committee accepted revisions to only include the minimum tensile strength requirement and updated the minimum surface roughness for the handle. New IBCs manufactured will need to be in compliance to the revised specification by July 1, 2023. Revised standard M-998 is now implemented and effective immediately.
C-14095
Subject: Solicitation of Comments – Proposed New Standard for MSRP, Section M, Locomotives and Locomotive Interchange Equipment: Specification M-915 – Quality Assurance Requirements for Locomotives and Locomotive Components.
Date Issued: December 28, 2022
Date Effective: December 28, 2022
Group: Locomotive
Summary: This circular letter is soliciting comments for a newly proposed specification addition to the AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices (MSRP) Section M, Specification: M-915 – Quality Assurance Requirements for Locomotives and Locomotive Components. The intent is to clarify the harmonization of Section M requirements with the locomotive activity codes found in MSRP Section J, Specification M-1003, Appendix A.
C-14096
Subject: Implementation of Revisions to MSRP Section C Part II, M-1001 Design, Fabrication, and Construction of Freight Cars, and Section C Standard S-286. Freight car and draft pocket design requirements.
Date Issued: December 29, 2022
Date Effective: January 1, 2023
Group: Manufacturer
Summary: The purpose of this circular letter is to notify the industry of the revised requirements in Section C Part II – Specification M-1001 Design, Fabrication, and Construction of Freight Cars & Retirement of Section C – Car Construction Fundamentals and Details, Standard S-286 Free/Unrestricted Interchange For 286,000 Lb Gross Rail Load Cars. These changes are now fully implemented and effective January 1, 2023. Modifications will be incorporated in the next issues of the Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, Sections C and C-II. Please update your library and be governed accordingly. Submit questions to Jon Hannafious, Director of Technical Standards, at MxV Rail via email at EEC@aar.com.