Document ID: FRA-2009-0024-0001
Agency: fra
Document Type: Notice
Title: Safety Advisory: Side Sill Failure of ACF Center Flow Covered Hopper Cars
Posted Date: 2009-03-27T04:00Z

[Federal Register: March 27, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 58)]
[Notices]               
[Page 13507]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27mr09-106]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

 
Safety Advisory 2009-01

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of safety advisory; side sill failure of ACF Center 
Flow[reg] Covered Hopper Cars.

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SUMMARY: FRA is recommending inspection and, when necessary, repair of 
American Car and Foundry (ACF) Center Flow[reg] Covered Hopper Cars, 
when appropriate. These cars have a history of side sill failure. On 
April 16, 2008, FRA was notified that car CSXT 254526, an ACF Center 
Flow[reg] Covered Hopper Car, experienced a catastrophic side sill 
failure. Both sides of the side sill, the side sheet, and the roof 
fractured. As a result, the A-end of the car was pulled away from the 
rest of the car body.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Blankenship, Mechanical Engineer, 
MP&E Division (RRS-14); FRA Office of Safety Assurance and Compliance, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, telephone: (202) 
493-6446.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ACF Center Flow[reg] Covered Hopper Cars 
have a history of side sill failures. Records from 1999 indicate ACF 
has constructed approximately 120,000 center flow cars since 1978 using 
this side sill design. On May 14, 1979, the Association of American 
Railroads (AAR) issued Circular Letterc-5162 notifying railroads that a 
number of ACF Center Flow[reg] Covered Hopper Cars were discovered with 
side sill cracks, and recommended that the cars be inspected. ACF 
issued Procedure Number P064, ``Maintenance of Side Sills-Body Bolster 
Area,'' in 1989, providing detailed instructions for inspection and 
repair of all ACF Center Flow[reg] Covered Hopper Cars. On February 19, 
1999, AAR issued Maintenance Advisory MA-53, (c-8991), advising the 
industry of additional side sill failures on ACF Center Flow[reg] 
Covered Hopper Cars.
    As a result of the above-referenced incident that occurred on April 
16, 2008, CSX Transportation, Inc., (CSXT) has recently taken 
additional action by issuing inspection and repair instructions for its 
cars (CSXT Car Maintenance Instruction 13-1004, dated April 28, 2008). 
The instructions provide guidance on how to properly inspect and handle 
the ACF Center Flow[reg] Covered Hopper Cars.
    Recommended Action: Recognizing the need to ensure safety, FRA 
recommends that railroads and car owners that operate the ACF Center 
Flow[reg] Covered Hopper Cars inspect, and when necessary, repair and 
reinforce the side sills (at four locations) using ACF Procedure Number 
P064 (dated January 31, 1994). This ACF Procedure Number P063 may be 
obtained by contacting Mr. Roger Dalske,Manager-Product Engineering, 
American Railcar Industries, at (636) 940-6185;e-mail: 
rdalske@americanrailcar.com.
    FRA may modify this Safety Advisory (2009-01), issue additional 
safety advisories, or take other appropriate action it deems necessary 
to ensure the highest level of safety on the Nation's railroads.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 24, 2009.
Grady C. Cothen, Jr.,
Acting Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety/Chief Safety 
Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-6919 Filed 3-26-09; 8:45 am]

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