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-13593
Subject: Temporary Relief, MSRP S-6101 & Office Manual Rule 94.8, Detector Calibration
Date Issued: June 1, 2020
Date Effective: June 1, 2020
Group: Locomotive
Summary: A proposal advanced by the Equipment Health Monitoring Committee to provide temporary relief of rules related to detector calibration requirements due to travel restrictions related to COVID-19, was reviewed and approved by Arbitration and Rules Committee.
CPC-1368
Subject: Notification to Tank Car Facilities on Submittal of AAR M-1002 Exhibit T-1 by 7/31/2020
Date Issued: June 2, 2020
Date Effective: June 2, 2020
Group: Manufacturer, Repair Shop
Summary: The purpose of this CPC is to notify tank car facilities that the AAR BOE needs each facility to provide the Exhibit T-1 form as directed by 7/31/2020.
C-13594
Subject: Implementation of Revisions to MSRP Section G-II, WHEEL AND AXLE MANUAL, RP-631, MD-11 Reporting and Bearing External Inspection
Date Issued: June 2, 2020
Date Effective: June 2, 2020
Group: Manufacturer, Repair Shop
Summary: The purpose of this circular letter is to notify the industry of revisions to Section G-II, RP-631, revision to MD-11 reporting & bearing external inspections to complete MD-11 form prior to completing external inspection.
C-13595
Subject: Implementation of Revisions to MSRP Section L, LETTERING & MARKING OF CARS, Standard S-910, Marking of Freight Cars, Complete revision
Date Issued: June 3, 2020
Date Effective: July 1, 2021
Group: Manufacturer, Repair Shop
Summary: The purpose of this circular letter is to notify the industry of revisions to Section L, Standard S-910, Marking of Freight Cars. The Standard has been completely rewritten as indicated by change bars on every page of the document. S-910 is effective upon implementation, and compliance will be required by 7/1/2021.
C-13596
Subject: Schedule for 2020 AAR M-1003 Basic Auditor, Advanced Auditor and Root Cause Analysis Training Classes – June Update 2020
Date Issued: June 4, 2020
Date Effective: June 4, 2020
Group: Informational
Summary: The AAR QAC has rescheduled some 2020 Basic Auditor, Advanced Auditor and Root Cause Analysis Training classes, and has moved other classes to a Webinar-based training format.
C-13597
Subject: Informational Circular, Car Repair Facility Labor Rate – Effective 7/1/2020
Date Issued: June 4, 2020
Date Effective: July 1, 2020
Group: Car Owner, Repair Shop
Summary: The Car Repair Facility Labor Rate, effective 7/1/2020 is $141.00. This represents a decrease of $0.22 from the calculation for 4/1/2020.
C-13598
Subject: Informational Circular, Canadian Car Repair Facility Labor Rate – Effective 7/1/2020
Date Issued: June 4, 2020
Date Effective: July 1, 2020
Group: Car Owner, Repair Shop
Summary: The Canadian Car Repair Facility Labor Rate, effective 7/1/2020 is $184.55 CAD. This represents an increase of $1.94 CAD from the calculation for 4/1/2020.
C-13599
Subject: Solicitation of Comments for Revisions to MSRP Section T M-1004 Specification for Fuel Tenders, and for Supporting Standards S-5028, S-5029 & S-5030
Date Issued: June 4, 2020
Date Effective: June 4, 2020
Group: Manufacturer
Summary: The purpose of this circular letter is to seek industry comments to a revised M-1004. This circular letter also seeks industry comments to M-1004 supporting standards S-5028, S-5029 and S-5030.
C-13600
Subject: Implementation of Revisions to the MSRP Section M, LOCOMOTIVES AND LOCOMOTIVE INTERCHANGE EQUIPMENT: Standard S-591 Locomotive System Integration Operating Display
Date Issued: June 4, 2020
Date Effective: June 4, 2020
Group: Locomotive
Summary: Circular Letter C-13534 was issued April 20, 2020 by the Locomotive Committee seeking comments for proposed revisions to the Railroad Electronics Standards Committee System Problem Report #120.
CPC-1369
Subject: Midland Vacuum Relief Valve Markings
Date Issued: June 10, 2020
Date Effective: June 10, 2020
Group: Car Owner, Manufacturer, Repair Shop
Summary: The purpose of this circular is to notify the industry of the need to acquire labels and apply them to Vacuum Relief Valve labels manufactured by Midland Manufacturing . These labels are applied to all Midland Vacuum Relief Valve with a setting of 0.75 psi that are built before June 2018.
CPC-1370
Subject: Stub Sill Reinforcing Pad Inspection of Certain ARI-Built Tank Cars
Date Issued: June 23, 2020
Date Effective: June 23, 2020
Group: Repair Shop
Summary: Certain tank cars built by ARI-Marmaduke (ARIA) equipped with a reinforcing pad at the inboard end of the stub sill require inspection at a certified tank car facility no later than the next qualification, not to exceed 10 years.
C-13601
Subject: Fall 2020 AAR Technical Committee Meetings
Date Issued: June 24, 2020
Date Effective: June 24, 2020
Group: Informational
Summary: In light of our country’s situation with respect to the Covid-19 pandemic, the AAR is putting safety first and looking at ways to prevent the chance for coronavirus exposure for those who participate in and support AAR committees. Therefore, AAR has determined that for the second half of 2020, it’s appropriate to arrange teleconferences or webcasts in lieu of holding face-to-face meetings. This will also avoid expenses during this time of business downturn.
C-13602
Subject: IMPLEMENTED. AAR MSRP, Section K-VI Railway Data Management and Communications, Standard S-9502.V1.0
Date Issued: June 26, 2020
Date Effective: June 26, 2020
Group: Locomotives
Summary: Standard S-9502.V1.0 provides a common track data exchange format for use between railroads in support of track data maintenance activities for interoperable PTC operations. The data exchange process and mechanism are dependent on arrangements between the railroads exchanging information.
C-13603
Subject: Informational Circular, Cost Analysis, Revisions to Field Manual, Rule 4, Over Age Brake Valves
Date Issued: June 26, 2020
Date Effective: June 26, 2020
Group: Informational
Summary: At the April 2020 meeting of the Arbitration and Rules Committee proposals to revise Field Manual Rule 4 to address renewal requirements for brake valves regarding age and cold weather temperatures, were reviewed and approved. These changes were sent out for comment via circular C-13556 on April 30, 20. Comments were received creating a minor editorial change. The FRA is eager for the AAR to implement the changes as planned on July 1, 2020.
C-13604
Subject: Implementation of Revisions to MSRP Section F, SENSORS, Standard S-920 AAR Component Identification (CID) Bar Code Standard, and MSRP Section B, FREIGHT CAR DRAFT COMPONENTS, Cushioning Devices Specifications M-921B-C-D-E-F. Component Tracking
Date Issued: June 29, 2020
Date Effective: October 1, 2020
Group: Manufacturers
Summary: The purpose of this circular letter is to notify the industry of revisions to MSRP Section F, SENSORS, Standard S-920 AAR Component Identification (CID) Bar Code Standard, and MSRP Section B, FREIGHT CAR DRAFT COMPONENTS, all cushioning device specifications.
C-13605
Subject: AAR Safety Alert regarding Improperly Secured Tie-down Cables on Centerbeam Cars
Date Issued: June 29, 2020
Date Effective: June 29, 2020
Group: Locomotive
Summary: This safety alert is being reissued due to ongoing and recurring non-compliance to rules established by AAR Open Top Loading Rules (OTLR) Committee concerning securement of cables on empty centerbeam cars. This safety concern was previously addressed in November 2018 via circular C-13227 and in December 2015 via C-12545.
C-13606
Subject: Informational Circular, Cost Benefit Analysis, Revisions to Field Manual, Rules 3 & 4, 4-Pressure Testing
Date Issued: June 29, 2020
Date Effective: July 1, 2020
Group: Repair Shops
Summary: At the April 2020 meeting of the Arbitration and Rules Committee proposals to revise Field Manual Rules 3 and 4 for 4-pressure testing, was reviewed and approved. The changes were sent out for comment via circular C-13546 on April 24, 2020. No comments were received. The changes will be included in the July 1, 2020 release of the Field Manual.
C-13607
Subject: July 2020 Field and Office Manual, Summary of Comments and Implementation Details
Date Issued: June 29, 2020
Date Effective: July 1, 2020
Group: Informational
Summary: In April and May 2020, several Circular Letters soliciting comments to the proposed rule changes were issued. In addition, several letters were issued that advised of approved changes that would become effective on July 1, 2020.