AAR Circular Letter
C-7713

September 18, 1991

CIRCULAR LETTER

(c-7713)

SUBJECT: Implementation of Special Letter Ballot Proposal Circular No. D.V. 2192: Accelerated Phaseout of Straight-Plate Wheels

TO: MEMBERS AND PRIVATE CAR OWNERS

 

File Number: AC - 1708

 

Industry comments on the proposed accelerated phaseout of straight-plate wheels were solicited under the provisions of AAR Standard S-050 and Interchange Rule 123 on July 19, 19991 via Circular Letter c-7687 and 7689.

Several comments were received and considered by the Arbitration Committee, the Car Engineering Committee WABL Subcommittee (the sponsoring committee) and the Mechanical Division General Committee.

The final proposal was submitted to Special Letter Ballot on August 26, 1991 in Circular No. D.V. 2192. New comments received were reviewed by the General Committee. The proposition passed by a substantial margin and was adopted by the General Committee effective October 1, 1991.

The following rule revisions were approved by the Arbitration Committee effective October 1, 1991.

 

Field Manual of the AAR Interchange Rules

Wheels and Axles

Rule 41 0 Wheels

  1. Wear Limits, Gaging, Cause for Renewal
  1. Condemnable At Any Time

    2. (No Change)

    PRESENT
  2. Condemnable when car is on repair track for any reason.
    1. All wrought steel wheels which can be identified as being manufactured by ARMCO
    2. All straight-plate wheels with missing or illegible manufacturer identification.
    3. Wrought steel one-wear 28" wheels with any of the following:
    1. Of B-28, D-28 or X-14 design as indicated by markings on wheels.
    2. No design markings
    3. Illegible design markings
    1. Wrought steel wheels having rims measuring one inch or less and manufactured prior to January 1, 1939, as indicated by markings on wheels.
    2. Wrought steel wheels having rims measuring one inch or less and having no manufactured date or illegible manufactured date marking on wheels.
    3. Handling line will only assume the expense of labor and associated material in making repairs when wheels listed above are removed with handling line defects. Owner will be allowed only scrap credit for wheel removed, regardless of responsibility for removal.

REVISED

    1. (No Change)
    2. (No Change)
    3. Straight-plate wheels, except A-28 and A-30, with rims measuring one inch or less.
    4. Straight-plate wheels, except A-28 or A-30, with rims measuring 1 ¼" or less on tack cars carrying hazardous materials.
  1. Correct Repairs

PRESENT

Group C-3 – 33" Wheels, 1-Wear, Straight-Plate

Group D-3 – 33" Wheels, 2-Wear, Straight-Plate

Group E-3 – 33" Wheels, Multiple Wear, Straight-Plate

Group F-3 – 33" Wheels, Less that 1 ¼" Flat Back Face of Rim, Straight-Plate

Group P-3 – 30" Wheels, Multiple Wear, Straight-Plate

Remarks

Group J-3 – 36" Wheels, 1-Wear, Straight-Plate

Group K-3 – 36" Wheels, 2-Wear, Straight-Plate

Group L-3 – 36" Wheels, Multiple Wear, Straight-Plate

Group M-3 – 38" Wheels, 1-Wear, Straight-Plate

Group N-3 – 38" Wheels, 2-Wear, Straight-Plate

SECTION F – BILLING REPAIR CARD REQUIREMENTS

Add Why Made Code 70 to Rules 41 and 83.

70 = Thin rim, straight-plate wheels on tank cars carrying hazardous materials.

Modify Why Made Code 73 as follows:

73 = Thin rim, except straight-plate wheels on tank cars carrying hazardous materials.

  1. Service metal on all 30" and 33" wheels is defined as the metal on rim above 15/16" pricing condemning limit for full narrow flange contour. For 28" 1W, 36" and 38" wheels the pricing condemning limit is 17/16". For 28" MW wheels the pricing condemning limit is 31/16".

REVISED
  1. Service metal on wheels is defined as the metal on the rim above the pricing condemning limit for full narrow flange contour wheels per the following chart:
  1. Methods of Calculating Service Metal and Gross Value of Wheels:
    1. Service Metal calculation for wheels applied and removed:
    1. Service metal is equal to rim thickness (side scale reading) less wheel center of:

 

REVISED

    1. Service metal calculation for wheels applied and removed:
    1. Service metal is equal to rim thickness (side scale reading) less wheel center of:

 

PRESENT

  1. One wheel is scrap and mate wheel is Why Made Code 11 or any other defect that will not scrap the wheel. Remove existing code on mate wheel – overlay Why Made Code 90 and scrap the wheel with charges and credits based on Responsibility 1, 2, or 3. For Why Made Code 23, handle in accordance with Paragraphs 19.c. or d.

REVISED

  1. One wheel is scrap and mate wheel is Why Made Code 11 or any other defect that will not scrap the wheel. Remove existing code on mate wheel – overlay Why Made Code 90 and scrap the wheel with charges and credits based on Responsibility 1, 2, or 3. For Why Made Code 23, handle in accordance with Paragraphs 19.c. or d. For Why Made Code 70, handle in accordance with Paragraph 21.

 

PRESENT

  1. Heat-treated straight-plate wheels are priced as scrap when removed for any wheelset defect, except A-28 and A-30 wheels.

REVISED

  1. Heat-treated straight-plate wheels are priced as scrap when removed for any wheelset defect, except A-28, A-30 wheels, and except as provided in Paragraph 21.
  2. Straight-plate wheels removed from tank cars carrying hazardous materials for Why Made Code 70 will receive service metal credit for wheels removed per the following formula:
    1. Service metal credit will be allowed as follows:

      2. If removed rim thickness is: Allow service metal of:

      > 1 ¼" * 2/16"

      = 1 ¼" 2/16"

      = 1 3/16" 1 ½/16"

      = 1 1/8" 1/16"

      = 1 1/16" ½/16"

      < 1" Scrap Credit Only

      based on the formula A-1" / 2 where A= the actual removed rim thickness of 1-¼", 1-3/16", 1-1/8" or 1-1/16". Ignore removed finger readings in the calculation.

      * Provided the mate wheel is less than or equal to 1-¼"

      If one wheel is reported as Why Made 70, price the mate wheel as Why Made 70.

    2. For Job Codes 3013 and 3014, (A-28 wheels) Qualifier 01, Condemning limit for Why Made Code 73 remains at 7/8".

      3. For Job Codes 3123 and 3124, (A-30 wheels) Qualifier 01, Condemning limit for Why Made Code 73 remains at ¾".

    3. The stenciling of scrap wheels was revised effective July 1, 1991 via Circular Letter c-7691, date July 31, 1991. Field Manual Rule 41 Section E.18 was modified as follows.

 

E. General Information

PRESENT
    1. Stenciling of scrap wheels.
    1. Wheels removed from service due to Field Manual Why Made Code 23 must be immediately stenciled in one inch letters, "WM 23" on the inside of the wheel plate of both wheels, and be scrapped at the wheel shop.
    2. Heat-treated straight-plate wheels, except A-28 and A-30, removed from service for any wheelset defect must be immediately stenciled in one inch letters "HT SP" on the inside of the wheel plate of both wheels, and be scrapped at the wheel shop.

REVISED

    1. Stenciling of scrap wheels.
    1. Wheels prohibited in interchange. (Section A.1.s.)
    2. Wheels removed for Why Made Code 23. (Section A.1.t.)
    3. Heat-treating straight-plate wheels, except A-28 and A-30, removed from service for any wheelset defect.

 

IMPLEMENTATION

This will service as authorization to insert these revisions in your 1991 Field Manual and be governed accordingly effective October 1, 1991.

You should receive all of the revisions detailed above as Change No. 91-2 to the Field Manual and Change 91-3 to the Office Manual of the AAR Interchange Rules.

Appropriate revisions to Section G-Part II of the Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices have been developed by the Wheels, Axles, Bearings and Lubrication Subcommittee and implemented in a separate Circular Letter.

The Mechanical Division General Committee has decided to separately consider issues raised in regard to replacement of straight-plate wheels on non-hazardous material cars still equipped with plain bearings.

ON BEHALF OF THE ARBITRATION COMMITTEE

Sincerely,

Patrick T. Ameen