[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 239 (Thursday, December 13, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70928-70929]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-24196]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration


Safety Advisory 2007-04

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of safety advisory; potential catastrophic failure of 
locomotive reservoir tanks.

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SUMMARY: In April 2005, FRA issued Safety Advisory 2005-02 in order to 
provide information to interested parties on the potential catastrophic 
failure of locomotive main reservoir tanks manufactured by R&R Metal 
Fabricators, Incorporated, and installed on General Electric 
Transportation System (GETS) locomotives. FRA is issuing this document, 
Safety Advisory 2007-04, in order to provide updated information 
related to this issue.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Scerbo, Railroad Safety 
Specialist, Motive Power and Equipment Division (RRS-14), FRA Office of 
Safety Assurance and Compliance, 1120 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, 
DC 20590, telephone: (202) 493-6249 or Michael Masci, Staff Attorney, 
FRA Office of Chief Counsel, 1120 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20590, telephone: (202) 493-6037.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In early 2005, GETS provided FRA information 
on the potential catastrophic failure of locomotive main reservoir 
tanks, manufactured by R&R Metal Fabricators, Incorporated, and 
installed on GETS locomotives. At that time, GETS reported that 5,826 
suspect main reservoir tanks were manufactured between 1988 and 1995. 
Prior to the issuance of Safety Advisory 2005-02, four main reservoir 
tanks had failed catastrophically (ruptured) while in service. Since 
the issuance of Safety Advisory 2005-02, two additional reservoir tanks 
have failed and several others have been removed from service for 
various other reasons. GETS describes the ruptures as a rapid splitting 
and deformation of the reservoir tank along the longitudinal seam. 
Catastrophic failure of the main reservoir tank can result in serious 
injury or worse to anyone in the vicinity of the tank at the time of 
failure.
    In 2005, GETS produced a list of approximately twenty-seven hundred 
(2,700) locomotives that have likely been equipped with the suspect 
reservoirs. GETS noted that additional suspect reservoirs may have been 
mounted onto GETS locomotives through maintenance and repair. No other 
locomotive manufacturer has produced any locomotives equipped with the 
suspect main reservoir tanks, and any attempt to do so would require 
major modifications to the mounting system. All suspect reservoir tanks 
can be identified by a name plate which shows R&R attached to the skin 
of the tank.
    On September 12, 2007, GETS notified FRA that its earlier 
instructions to inspect and measure the reservoir tanks and replace 
only those that fail to meet the criteria proved to be only partially 
effective in identifying the at risk tanks. To minimize the possibility 
of any additional reservoir tank failures, GETS has advised all known 
owners and users of the affected locomotives equipped with the involved 
R&R Metal Fabricators, Incorporated reservoir tanks to replace them by 
September 30, 2008, or sooner. Any owner or user of these reservoir 
tanks should contact GETS for replacement of the reservoir tanks at no 
cost.
    Recommended Action: In recognition of the need to assure safety, 
FRA recommends that railroads operating and owning GETS locomotives 
inspect the main reservoir tanks of such locomotives in service and any 
main reservoir tanks in inventory to determine if they were 
manufactured by R&R Metal Fabricators, Incorporated, between 1988 and 
1995. If any such locomotive reservoir tanks are found, the owner or 
operator of the locomotive should contact Mr. Len Baran, GETS Product 
Manager, at General Electric Transportation Systems, 2901 East Lake 
Road, Building 14-410, Erie, Pennsylvania 16531, or by e-mail at 
[email protected], or by telephone at (814) 875-2769.
    FRA may modify this Safety Advisory 2007-04, issue additional 
safety advisories, or take other appropriate

[[Page 70929]]

action necessary to ensure the highest level of safety on the nations 
railroads.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on December 7, 2007.
Jo Strang,
Associate Administrator for Safety.
 [FR Doc. E7-24196 Filed 12-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P