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.
CPC-1400
Subject: Implementation of Revisions to MSRP Section C-III, Specification for Tank Cars (M- 1002), Chapters 1 & 2, & Appendices C, D, E, M, R, U & Y
Date Issued: September 2, 2022
Date Effective: September 2, 2022
Group: Manufacturer, Repair Shop
Summary: This circular letter reflects final action on revisions to the AAR MSRP, Section C, Part III, Specifications for Tank Cars. All revisions are identified by change bars in the margins of the Chapters 1, Chapter 2, & App. C, D, E, M, R, U & Y attachments. The AAR Tank Car Committee (TCC) reviewed & processed all 250 industry submitted comments on CPC-1387 & has responded to all commenters via email notification. These final actions pertain to the following AAR TCC Dockets:
T5.32 Review Tank Car Requirements in the AAR Office & Field Manual
T59.2.1 Appendix R review to Address TCID requirements
T79.41 Clarification of 49 CFR 179.24(a)(3) the Requirements for Variable Identification Plates T88.11 Hydrostatic Testing
T92.18 Review Stencil Placement Requirements for Tanks Cars
T92.19 Review Appendix C for Compliance with Federal Regulations
T93.20 Review Appendix D for Compliance with Current 49 CFR 180 Inspection Requirements T95.7.4 Consider new steels & modifications to current steel specifications for tank car tank T95.26.1 Review Appendix M Material for Tank Car Tanks
Revisions are hereby implemented & in effect as of the publication date of this circular.
CPC-1401
Subject: Solicitation of Comments on Proposed Revisions to MSRP Section C-III, Specification for Tank Cars (M-1002), Appendix W
Date Issued: September 6, 2022
Date Effective: September 6, 2022
Group: Manufacturer, Repair Shop
Summary: The Tank Car Committee (TCC) is requesting comments on the proposed revisions identified by change bars in the margin within the attached Appendix W of AAR MSRP C-III, Specifications for Tank Cars. The revisions pertain to the following AAR Tank Car Committee Docket:
T80.2.4 Welding Task Force Proposals
Proposed Revision Summary:
Appendix W
Updates to Scope to align with proposed revisions
Updated the term butt weld with proper terminology of groove weld Updates to Types and Purposes of Tests
Identification of mandatory references
Revisions made to weld orientation & test position
Tables & Figures added to align with proposed paragraph language
Previous paragraph 15.0 was formatted into a table
Reformatting paragraphs for weld procedure qualification
To facilitate the handling of industry comments, AAR requires the attached Exhibit PC-1 (ver. 5.0) form to be completely filled out & submitted via e-mail to Matt Forister, Director of Tank Car Safety, at mforister@aar.org within 30 calendar days from the date of this CPC (specifically by 5:00 PM eastern October 6, 2022).
C-14019
Subject: Solicitation of Comments for Revisions to MSRP Section S, Casting Details Specification M-201, Castings Steel, Regarding Changes to Section 4.0
Date Issued: September 16, 2022
Date Effective: September 16, 2022
Group: Manufacturer
Summary: The purpose of this circular letter is to solicit comments for revisions proposed to Section S, Specification M-201, Castings Steel, regarding changes to Section 4.0. The Coupling System & Truck Castings Committee (CSTCC) is proposing changes to Section 4.0 to identify processes & controls that need to be in place & documented as standard foundry practice. The proposed revisions to M-201 do not have costs associated with implementation.
Changes are highlighted with change bars in the attached file. If implemented as proposed, the attached file would replace M-201 in its entirety.
C-14020
Subject: Solicitation of Comments for Revisions to MSRP Section S, Casting Details Specification M-214, Side Frames & Bolsters Used & Reconditioned – Classification & Repair Procedure, Regarding Updates to Marking & OEM Manuals
Date Issued: September 16, 2022
Date Effective: September 16, 2022
Group: Manufacturer, Repair Shop
Summary: The purpose of this circular letter is to solicit comments for revisions proposed to Section S, Specification M-214, Side Frames & Bolsters Used & Reconditioned – Classification & Repair Procedure, regarding updates to marking requirements & OEM Manual access. Reconditioners must have the latest revisions of OEM manuals. A new webpage is proposed to provide access to latest OEM manuals by either direct download or links to OEM sites. Links to OEM maintenance manuals page can be found here: https://aar.com/standards/coupling- system.html (link at top center of page). The new webpage will function similar to how Field Manual Rule 1 documents are currently located or referenced at https://aar.com/standards/mid-field_manual.htm.
The proposed revisions to M-214 do not have costs associated with implementation. Changes are highlighted with change bars in the attached file. If implemented as proposed, the attached file would replace M-214 in its entirety.
C-14021
Subject: Informational Circular, Car Repair Facility Labor Rate – Effective 10/01/22
Date Issued: September 20, 2022
Date Effective: September 20, 2022
Group: Repair Shop
Summary: The Car Repair Facility Labor Rate, effective 10/01/22 is $149.34, an increase of 0.07 cents (or 0.05%) from the labor rate estimated on 07/01/22.
C-14022
Subject: Informational Circular, Canadian Car Repair Facility Labor Rate – Effective 10/01/22
Date Issued: September 20, 2022
Date Effective: September 20, 2022
Group: Repair Shop
Summary: The Canadian Car Repair Facility Labor Rate, effective 10/01/22 is $239.09 CAD. This represents an increase of $10.60 CAD (Ten Canadian dollars & sixty cents) from the calculation for 07/01/22.
C-14023
Subject: Registration is Now Open for The February 2023 AAR Quality Assurance Auditor & Industry Conference
Date Issued: September 21, 2022
Date Effective: September 21, 2022
Group: Information
Summary: The AAR Quality Assurance Committee (QAC) is pleased to announce:
The 35th Annual AAR Quality Assurance Auditor & Industry Conference February 4-6, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
C-14024
Subject: DRAFT S-9080.V4.0 – Positive Train Control Interoperability Committee Policy is available for review & comment, in support of AAR’s MSRP – Section K-1, Railway Electronics Systems Architecture & Concept of Operations
Date Issued: September 21, 2022
Date Effective: September 21, 2022
Group: Locomotive
Summary: The Positive Train Control Interoperability Committee (PTCIC) of the AAR is publishing DRAFT Standard S-9080.V4.0 – PTCIC Policy for review & comment. This document defines the policy-related items related to or required for PTCI & document standard(s) associated with each. The list of policies & associated standards shall be under governance of the PTCIC In order to provide time for review & comment, this document will have a 7-day comment period. The time will begin with the date posted above.
C-14025
Subject: IMPLEMENTED, AAR MSRP, Section K-II Locomotive Electronics & Train Control System Architecture, Standard S-9101 Appendix F V1.2
Date Issued: September 21, 2022
Date Effective: September 21, 2022
Group: Locomotive
Summary: S-9101 Appendix F V1.2 – Locomotive Interface Gateway Segment & Locomotive Application (LAPP) Segment Subsystems Addresses is external content to the requirements in AAR Standard S-9101, “Locomotive Electronics System Architecture”. S-9101’s latest version indicating all external content will be incorporated into the next issue of the MSRP Section K-II Locomotive Electronics & Train Control System Architecture. In the interim, please insert the Circular in your copy of the MSRP Section K-II & be governed accordingly.
C-14026
Subject: Implementation Circular: Revisions to MSRP F, Sensors, S-6008 Data Summary – Salient Wheel Impact
Date Issued: September 26, 2022
Date Effective: September 26, 2022
Group: Locomotive
Summary: This implementation circular is being released to the industry for revisions to the subject section(s) of the AAR’s MSRP. On 08/24/22, the Equipment Health Monitoring Committee released a comment circular (C- 14011) covering draft modifications to the subject section as it relates to the autoclose logic for wheel impact load detectors. Comments received (if any) from the industry in response to the above referenced comment circular were considered & deliberated upon consistent with AAR technical committee practices. Please submit questions to the undersigned at gdeibler@aar.org.
C-14027
Subject: Solicitation of Comments for Revisions to MSRP Section T, Specification, M-1004 Specification for Fuel Tenders
Date Issued: September 30, 2022
Date Effective: September 30, 2022
Group: Car Owner, Locomotive, Manufacturer
Summary: The purpose of this circular letter is to seek industry comments to a revised M-1004 Specification for Fuel Tenders. Updates to M-1004 include the addition of a new draft APPENDIX M – TENDER HEALTH & STATUS PROTOCOL & extensive revisions to the following chapters:
Chapter 1 – Introduction & General Requirements Chapter 6 – Tender Control Unit
Chapter 7 – Tender-To-Locomotive Interface Chapter 8 – Tender-Fill Interface
Appendix M – (NEW draft section)
The resulting M-1004 Specification & accompanying standards will allow new fuel tenders to be qualified for unrestricted interchange in freight service. These AAR publications identify the tender’s structural design requirements, operating performance, crashworthiness, fuel interfaces needed to supply natural gas to dual-fuel locomotives, & interfaces needed to load the tender with fuel. Comments from interested parties are herewith solicited under the provisions of AAR Standard S-050. Please submit comments or questions to Mike Fore, Director-Technical Services, at AAR via email at mfore@aar.org. All comments received within 30 days of the issuance of this circular will be considered.