Document ID: FRA-2009-0031-0173
Agency: fra
Document Type: Notice
Title: Railworthiness Directives: Certain Railroad Tank Cars Equipped with Bottom Outlet Valve Assembly and Constructed by American Railcar Industries and ACF Industries
Posted Date: 2016-10-03T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 191 (Monday, October 3, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68100-68101]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23770]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

Railworthiness Directive for Certain Railroad Tank Cars Equipped 
With Bottom Outlet Valve Assembly and Constructed by American Railcar 
Industries and ACF Industries

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of issuance and availability of Railworthiness 
Directive.

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SUMMARY: On September 30, 2016, FRA issued a Railworthiness Directive 
(Directive or RWD) to all owners of Department of Transportation (DOT) 
specification 111 general purpose tank cars. This document announces 
FRA's issuance of the RWD and its availability on FRA's Web site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Strouse, General Engineer, 
Hazardous Materials Division, Office of

[[Page 68101]]

Technical Oversight, FRA, 200 W. Adams Street, Suite 310, Chicago, 
Illinois 60606, (312) 353-6203, Larry.Strouse@dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FRA issued this Directive under 49 CFR 
180.509(b)(4) to all owners of DOT specification 111 general purpose 
tank cars based on its finding that as a result of non-conforming 
welding practices, DOT-111 tank cars built by American Railcar 
Industries, Inc. (ARI) or ACF Industries, LLC (ACF) between 2009 and 
2015 to the ARI or ACF 300 stub sill design and equipped with a two-
piece cast sump and bottom outlet valve skid may be in an unsafe 
operating condition and could result in the release of hazardous 
materials. As a result of the identified non-conforming welding 
practices, these cars may have substantial weld defects at the sump and 
BOV skid groove attachment welds, potentially affecting each tank's 
ability to retain its contents during transportation. FRA issued the 
Directive to ensure public safety, ensure compliance with the 
applicable Federal regulations governing the safe movement of hazardous 
materials by rail, and ensure the railworthiness of the tank cars. The 
full text of the Directive is available on FRA's Web site at 
www.fra.gov by searching for RWD No. 2016-01.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 27, 2016.
Robert C. Lauby,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-23770 Filed 9-30-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P