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-13751
Subject: Solicitation of Comments for Revisions to Circular 42, General Rules Covering Loading or Carload Shipments of Commodities in Closed Cars (DP&FC)
Date Issued: March 2, 2021
Date Effective: March 2, 2021
Group: Shipper
Summary: The purpose of this circular letter is to solicit comments for revisions proposed to Circular 42, General Rules Covering Loading or Carload Shipments of Commodities in Closed Cars (DP&FC): Section 4 – Distribution of Weight Crosswise in Cars, Section 3 – Distribution of Weight Lengthwise in Cars, Section 5 – Loading, Blocking, & Bracing – Box Cars, & Section 6 – Doorway Protection.
C-13752
Subject: Implementation: Office Manual Rule 88.C.1.d(2) & Rule 88.C.3.c(17)
Date Issued: March 3, 2021
Date Effective: April 1, 2021
Group: Manufacturer, Repair Shop
Summary: On 12/4/20, comment circular C-13717 was issued regarding proposed revisions to Office Manual Rule 88.C.1.d(2) & Rule 88.C.3.c(17). Multiple comments were received prompting the following change to the proposed revisions.
C-13753
Subject: IMPLEMENTED. MSRP, Section K-1 Railway Electronics Systems Architecture & Concept of Operations, Standard S-9081.V1.2
Date Issued: March 8, 2021
Date Effective: March 8, 2021
Group: Locomotive
Summary: Standard S-9081.V1.2 contains the format & establishes some of the data contents of the Train Sheet Transaction Set (EDI 161), Train Sheet (EDI 824) & Train Consist Transaction Set (EDI 418J) for use within the context of EDI environment.
C-13754
Subject: IMPLEMENTED. MSRP, Section K-1 Railway Electronics Systems Architecture & Concept of Operations, Standard S-9081.V1.2
Date Issued: March 10, 2021
Date Effective: July 1, 2021
Group: Manufacturer, Repair Shop
Summary: This implementation circular is being released to the industry for revisions to MSRP Section F – Sensors / Standard S-920 / Section 21.
CPC-1375
Subject: Implementation of Revisions to MSRP Section C-III, Specification for Tank Cars (M-1002), Chapter 1, Appendix A, & Appendix D (Docket T100.22.1)
Date Issued: March 10, 2021
Date Effective: July 1, 2021
Group: Manufacturer, Repair Shop
Summary: The Component Tracking program (formerly known as CEPM) is a multi-phase, multi-year initiative to create an industry process & related technology tools for capturing railcar equipment component data.
C-13755
Subject: Informational Circular, Car Repair Facility Labor Rate
Date Issued: March 12, 2021
Date Effective: April 1, 2021
Group: Repair Shop
Summary: The Car Repair Facility Labor Rate, effective 4/1/21 is $130.64. This represents a decrease of two cents ($0.02) from the calculation for 1/1/21. The changes to the rate are due to updated surveys received for employer contributions to health & welfare, payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, & other direct labor expenses.
C-13756
Subject: Informational Circular, Canadian Car Repair Facility Labor Rate
Date Issued: March 12, 2021
Date Effective: April 1, 2021
Group: Repair Shop
Summary: The Canadian Car Repair Facility Labor Rate, effective 4/1/21 is $205.74 CAD. This represents a decrease of $0.90 CAD from the calculation for 1/1/21. The currency conversion factor used to calculate the health & welfare portions of the 4/1/21 Canadian Labor Rate is 1.2690. This caused the decrease in the Canadian Labor Rate.
C-13761
Subject: Solicitation of Comments for Revisions to MSRP Section S-III, COUPLER & YOKE DETAILS, Standard S-105, Coupler E Type Detail Parts, regarding making reduced slack components standard
Date Issued: March 30, 2021
Date Effective: March 30, 2021
Group: Manufacturer, Repair Shop
Summary: The purpose of this circular letter is to solicit comments for revisions proposed to Section S-III, Standard S-105, Coupler E Type Detail Parts, regarding making reduced slack components standard for new production.
C-13762
Subject: Implementation Circular: Revisions to Office Manual Rule 88, Form 88-C, Rule 93 & Appendix E
Date Issued: March 30, 2021
Date Effective: April 1, 2021
Group: Car Owner, Manufacturer, Repair Shop
Summary: On 2/26/21, comment circular C-13750 was issued regarding proposed revisions. No comments were received. Accordingly, the changes proposed in C-13750 stand approved & will be implemented effective 4/1/21 with the release of the 4/21 Office Manual revisions.
CPC-1378
Subject: Clarification on Serial Number Markings on Tank Car Service Equipment
Date Issued: March 30, 2021
Date Effective: March 30, 2021
Group: Manufacturer, Repair Shop
Summary: Shortly after the issuance of CPC-1375, AAR was contacted by industry members about the serial number marking requirement for tank car service equipment & the removal of the built after effective dates from App A. As the specification reads with the issuance of CPC-1375, serial numbers would be a required marking on all service equipment effective 7/1/21.
C-13763
Subject: MSRP, K-VI Railway Data Management & Communications, S-9558.V1.0
Date Issued: March 31, 2021
Date Effective: March 31, 2021
Group: Locomotive
Summary: Standard S-9558.V1.0 describes the common IP address blocks reserved among the railroads participating in PTC. The purpose of this document is to ensure that railroads are not using the same IP addressing elsewhere in the network for other communications purposes.
C-13764
Subject: DRAFT S-9371.V4.0 – PTC Onboard Segment – Energy Management Interface Control Document (ICD) is available for review & comment. In support of MSRP, Section K-IV, Office Architecture & Railroad Electronics Messaging
Date Issued: March 31, 2021
Date Effective: March 31, 2021
Group: Locomotive
Summary: The PTC Interoperability Committee is publishing DRAFT Standard S-9371.V4.0 – PTC Onboard Segment – Energy Management ICD for review & comment.