[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 250 (Monday, December 30, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79686-79687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-32940]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Notice of Safety Advisory

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of safety advisory.

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SUMMARY: FRA is issuing Safety Advisory 2002-03 addressing potential 
catastrophic failure of 100-ton truck bolsters manufactured by National 
Castings of Sahagun, Mexico, with Association of American Railroads' 
(AAR) Identification B-2410 and National Pattern 
52122 used in 286,000 pound gross rail load freight cars.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronald Newman, Motive Power and 
Equipment Division Staff Director, Office of Safety Assurance and 
Compliance RRS-14, FRA, 1120 Vermont Avenue NW., Mail Stop 25, 
Washington, DC 20590 (telephone 202-493-6241) or Thomas Herrmann, 
Office of Chief Counsel, FRA, 1120 Vermont Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20590, (telephone (202) 493-6036).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Six recent derailments have been reported by 
the AAR which are attributed to the failure of truck bolsters 
manufactured by National Castings of Mexico with AAR ID B-2410 
and National Pattern 52122 used in 286,000 pound gross rail 
load freight cars. All of the failed bolsters were in Barber S-2-HD 
trucks on 286,000 pound gross rail load freight cars. Most of the 
bolsters had evidence of welded repair during their manufacture. Full 
details are not yet available on all of the failures; however, 
preliminary investigation indicates that one failure was caused by an 
inclusion and the others were surface initiated. The incident that is 
best documented indicates that the failure occurred inboard of the 
truck side frame between the side bearing cage mounting pad and the 
inside gibs, initiating from the underside of the bolster. This was a 
catastrophic failure resulting in a clean break between the pieces. The 
other known failures appear to be similar in nature.
    Information gathered by AAR indicates that there were 29,673 
suspect bolsters produced between January 1995 and May 1999. Most of 
these were shipped to car builders and have since been placed into 
revenue service. AAR has been actively engaged in producing a list 
showing where each of the bolsters were installed. Approximately 
13,000-15,000 cars may ultimately be affected including double stack, 
hopper, and tank cars as well as other types of cars. AAR has issued a 
maintenance advisory (MA-81) and two early warning letters (EW-5191 and 
EW-5191-S1) which identify some of the series of cars which may be 
equipped with the involved bolsters. Currently, AAR has identified 
approximately 348 tank cars in its early warning letters which may be 
affected. AAR is continuing its efforts to identify any car potentially 
equipped with these bolsters.
    AAR also issued a second supplement to the initial early warning 
letter (EW-5191-S2) that reports progress toward the identification of 
a cost-effective x-ray technique to allow safe bolsters to remain in 
service while insuring that any defective bolsters are removed from the 
freight car fleet. The supplement endorses segregation of those removed 
bolsters which have no obvious defects pending possible issuance of 
instructions for requalification. The supplement further requests 
notification to [email protected] if a cracked or broken National Pattern 
52122 bolster is found.

Action Recommended by FRA

    [sbull] FRA recommends that all railroads and car repair shops 
diligently adhere to the instructions provided in AAR's maintenance 
advisory MA-81 and early warning letters EW-5191, EW-5191-S1, and EW-
5191-S2. AAR has specifically identified the following cars in the 
above noted advisory and letters as being potentially equipped with the 
involved bolster:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Tank car numbers from EW-5191
          Car numbers from MA-81                   and EW-5191-S1
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 AGPX 98000-98099........................  NATX 33500-33531
 CSXT 487700-487999......................  NATX 33533-33535
 MHFX 5600-5799..........................  NATX 33538
TFM 60000-60299..........................  NATX 33544
TR 527800-528099.........................  NATX 33549-33552
 UP 28000-28639..........................  NATX 33554-33557
 WEPX 2375-2624..........................  NATX 33559-33560
 WEPX 2875-3024..........................  NATX 33562
                                           ECUX 259000-259129
                                           ECUX 281000-381082
                                           ECUX 281084-281086
                                           ECUX 281088-281093
                                           ECUX 281095-281097
                                           ECUX 281100-281108
                                           UTLX 662506-662565
                                           UTLX 662795-662800
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    [sbull] FRA also recommends that the bolsters on the above 
identified cars be inspected as thoroughly as possible by visual or 
other means and/or removed from service as prescribed in AAR's 
maintenance advisory and early warning letters. Proper precautions must 
be taken to protect the safety of the employees making the inspections, 
including proper blue signal protection in accordance with existing 
Federal regulations contained at 49 CFR part 218.
    [sbull] FRA further recommends that all railroads and car shops 
remain alert for the issuance of future AAR early warning letters and/
or FRA Safety Advisories which may contain a listing of additional cars 
potentially equipped with the involved bolster and instructions for the 
handling of such cars.
    FRA may modify Safety Advisory 2002-03, issue additional safety 
advisories, or take other appropriate action necessary to ensure the 
highest level of safety on the Nation's railroads.


[[Page 79687]]


    Issued in Washington, DC on December 24, 2002.
George A. Gavalla,
Associate Administrator for Safety.
[FR Doc. 02-32940 Filed 12-26-02; 9:15 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P