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. Circular letters may be viewed in their entirety by accessing the fee-based circular letter library from the Transportation Technology Center Inc. (TTCI) at https://www.aar.org/publications/.
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 M-1003 2.3.5.
C-13728
Subject: Implementation of Revisions to Figures 267-A, 287 and 298 from Section 2 of the AAR Open Top Loading Rules Manual (OTLR)
Date Issued: January 4, 2021
Date Effective: January 4, 2021
Group: Shipper
Summary: The AAR’s OTLR Committee has approved the following revisions to Figures 267-A, 287 and 298 from Section 2 of the AAR OTLR Manual.
C-13730
Subject: Informational Circular, Office Manual Rule 107, Freight Car Index Factor
Date Issued: January 5, 2021
Date Effective: January 1, 2021
Group: Car Owner, Repair Shop
Summary: The AAR Car Repair Billing Committee has approved the 2020 Freight Car Index Factor of 201 to be used in 2021. This number is unchanged from the 2019 Freight Car Index Factor. The Freight Car Index Factor is based on the Freight Car Producer Price Index from October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020.
C-13732
Subject: Solicitation of Comments on the Retirement & Archiving of MSRP Section M, S-5512 LOCOMOTIVE EVENT RECORDER DOWNLOAD STANDARD
Date Issued: January 5, 2021
Date Effective: January 5, 2021
Group: Locomotive
Summary: The purpose of this Circular is to notify the industry of & to solicit comments on the proposed retirement & archival of MSRP Section M, S-5512 LOCOMOTIVE EVENT RECORDER DOWNLOAD STANDARD.
C-13731
Subject: Implementation of Retirement of MSRP Section M, RP-545 Testing Electrical Components
Date Issued: January 5, 2021
Date Effective: January 5, 2021
Group: Manufacturer, Repair Shop
Summary: The purpose of this Circular is to notify the industry of the retirement & archival of MSRP Section M, RP-545 Testing Electrical Components.
C-13729
Subject: Implementation of Revisions to Figures 240, 244, 247, 260, 263, 267, and 285 from Section 2 of the AAR Open Top Loading Rules Manual (OTLR)
Date Issued: January 7, 2021
Date Effective: January 7, 2021
Group: Shipper
Summary: The AAR’s OTLR Committee has approved to implement the revisions to figures 240, 244, 247, 260, 263, 267, & 285 from Section 2 of the AAR OTLR Manual.
C-13733
Subject: DRAFT S-9451A.V2.0 – ITCSM WIU Asset-Specific Requirements for Interoperable Train Control is available for review and comment. In support of MSRP, Section K-V, Electronics Environmental Requirements and Systems Management.
Date Issued: January 12, 2021
Date Effective: January 12, 2021
Group: Locomotive
Summary: The Positive Train Control Interoperability Committee of the AAR is publishing DRAFT Standard S-9451A.V2.0 – ITCSM WIU Asset-Specific Requirements for Interoperable Train Control is available for review & comment. The purpose of this document is to detail the WIU asset-specific requirements for ITCSM.
CPC-13734
Subject: DRAFT S-9452A.V2.0 – ITCSM WIU Asset-Specific Data Dictionary for Interoperable Train Control is available for review & comment. In support of MSRP, Section K-V, Electronics Environmental Requirements & Systems Management.
Date Issued: January 12, 2021
Date Effective: January 12, 2021
Group: Locomotive
Summary: The Positive Train Control Interoperability Committee of the AAR is publishing DRAFT Standard S-9452A.V2.0 – ITCSM WIU Asset-Specific Data Dictionary for Interoperable Train Control is available for review and comment. The purpose of this document is to detail the WIU asset-specific data dictionary for ITCSM.
CPC-13735
Subject: Informational Circular Letter, CRB Data Exchange Error Code 4T
Date Issued: January 12, 2021
Date Effective: January 12, 2021
Group: Car Owner, Repair Shop
Summary: IMPORTANT NOTE: It is recommended that this information be shared with all Car Repair Billing and IT personnel in your company that work with or are responsible for Car Repair Invoices submitted to and/or received from Railinc’s Data Exchange.The intent of the circular letter is to clarify details regarding the implementation of new CRB error code 4T, and inform users of a change to the error code language to be added to the CRB Procedures Manual.
C-13736
Subject: IMPLEMENTED. AAR MSRP, Section K-I Railway Electronics Systems Architecture and Concept of Operations, Standard S-9058.V1.0
Date Issued: January 19, 2021
Date Effective: January 19, 2021
Group: Locomotive
Summary: Standard S-9058.V1.0 is the requirements document that pertains to the Interoperable Train Control Ticket Management (ITCTM) system, which allows railroads to exchange shared assets.
C-13737
Subject: AAR M-1003 Quality Assurance Audit Requirements During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Date Issued: January 19, 2021
Date Effective: January 19, 2021
Group: Information
Summary: The AAR is providing this notice to the industry as questions have arisen in regard to obtaining and maintaining AAR M-1003 Certifications during the COVID-19 pandemic. This announcement supplements AAR Circular Letter C-13545 “Restart of AAR Inspections and Audits”.
C-13738
Subject: Informational Circular, Revisions to Field and Office Manuals, Rule 125, Early Warning – Delayed until June 28, 2021
Date Issued: January 26, 2021
Date Effective: June 28, 2021
Group: Information
Summary: Circular C-13711, issued November 24, 2020, announced the delay of the rewrite of Field and Office Manuals Rule 125 and the Early Warning System to April 1, 2021. Additional industry feedback was received prompting the delay of the implementation of these revisions to June 28, 2021. No further delays are anticipated.
C-13739
Subject: DRAFT S-9103.V1.0 – Precision Navigation Module Interface Control Document (ICD) is available for review & comment. In support of MSRP, Section K-II, Locomotive Electronics & Train Consist System Architecture.
Date Issued: January 28, 2021
Date Effective: January 1, 2021
Group: Locomotive
Summary: The Railway Electronics Standards Committee of the AAR is publishing DRAFT Standard S-9103.V1.0 – Precision Navigation Module ICD for review & comment.
C-13740
Subject: DRAFT M-9020.V1.0 – Interoperable MOTES System Architecture-A System for Monitoring Freight Industry Rolling Stock is available for review & comment. In support of MSRP, Section K-I, Railway Electronics Systems Architecture & Concepts of Operations
Date Issued: January 28, 2021
Date Effective: February 28, 2021
Group: Locomotive
Summary: The Railway Electronics Standards Committee of the AAR is publishing DRAFT Specification M-9020.V1.0 – Interoperable MOTES System Architecture – A System for Monitoring Freight Industry Rolling Stock for review & comment.
C-13741
Subject: Spring 2021 AAR Technical Committee Meetings
Date Issued: January 29, 2021
Date Effective: January 29, 2021
Group: Information
Summary: Considering our country’s ongoing situation with respect to the Covid-19 pandemic, the AAR continues to put safety first for those who participate in & support AAR committees. AAR has determined that for the first half of 2021, it is appropriate to arrange teleconferences or webinars in lieu of holding face-to-face meetings.