Trucks component wear
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada recommends that the Department of Transport prescribe condemning limits for combination truck component wear for all leased cars in service on federally regulated railways.
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Rail transportation safety investigation report
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|---|---|
| Date the recommendation was issued |
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| Date of the latest response |
July 2006
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| Date of the latest assessment |
August 2006
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| Rating of the latest response |
Fully Satisfactory
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| File status |
Closed
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Summary of the occurrence
TSB's investigation into a number of derailments involving leased tank cars determined that these derailments occurred when the tank cars had truck component wear on interrelated components which individually did not exceed the condemning limit, but collectively the combinations of wear reduced the suspension damping of the trucks The application of existing maintenance and inspection practices did not prompt the required remedial action Specifically, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Rules governing inspection and repair of worn truck components on leased tank cars were not prompting the railway companies to initiate repairs to leased tank cars.
Rationale for the recommendation
Following a number of derailments to leased tank cars where truck component wear was a contributing factor, and in consideration of the potential consequences of derailments involving tank cars carrying dangerous goods, the Board recommends that:
The Department of Transport prescribe condemning limits for combination truck component wear for all leased cars in service on federally regulated railways.
TSB Recommendation R92-06
Previous responses and assessments
June 1992: Response to R92-06
Transport Canada (TC) indicated that some safety action had been taken but only with respect to single component wear within the truck.
August 1992: Board Assessment of Response to R92-06
Given that the safety action taken was only with respect to single component wear, the response was assessed as Unsatisfactory.
The Board followed up with TC to determine what action would be implemented.
This deficiency file was assigned an Active status.
December 1997: Board Reassessment of Response to R92-06
Staff reviewed the assessment and in consideration that the AAR research group had undertaken initiatives to address the issue, the assessment was changed to Satisfactory in Part.
The Board followed up with TC to determine what action would be implemented.
This deficiency file was assigned an Active status.
June 2003: Response to R92-06
In 2003, Transport Canada submitted a Rail Safety Update and, in that document, they advised that the AAR's Transportation Technology Center, in collaboration with several railways have implemented test sites called Truck Performance Detectors (TPD) where "in use" data is collected for analysis of lateral forces created by truck components in service These advanced techniques (which are superior to current visual and dimensional methods) will give objective maintenance attention criteria The data received from the TPD sites will allow early targeting of poor performing trucks and for subsequent repairs to be scheduled TC indicated that the advanced truck performance monitoring technology will provide the data required to develop the standards for combined truck component wear condemning limits.
November 2003: Board Reassessment of Response to R92-06 (Satisfactory Intent)
In consideration that the AAR project to develop the required standards is progressing with a certain amount of success, but not completed, the response to Recommendation R06-92 was reassessed as having Satisfactory Intent.
Latest response and assessment
July 2006: Response to R92-06
TC indicated that the AAR has taken steps to work with the industry and has implemented many changes. On 02 June 2006, AAR Circular C-10235 was issued. This document indicated the Rule 46 had been updated based on some of the comments received.
In addition, Rule 46 (effective 01 July 2006) now incorporates the new criteria for truck hunting A previous Circular Letter advised that a revision will also be made to Rule 15a(17) to include wedge rise gauges To allow time for the provisioning of these gauges across the system, that requirement will be added to Rule 1, on or about 01, October 2006 In the meantime, where repair tracks are so equipped, they have been required to start gauging wedge rise as of 01 July 2006
In addition, a companion Rule change was identified by the Arbitration and Rules Committee for addition to the Field Manual in Section B of Rule 88 The change is intended to clearly spell out the requirements when the car owner has possession of a car shopped for hunting.
August 2006: Board Reassessment of Response to R92-06 (Fully Satisfactory)
The AAR project has issued new truck component wear condemning limit criteria and interchange rules which prescribe condemning limits both from a static measurement of combination wear and a condemning limit based on dynamic measurement from a wayside truck hunting detector.
In consideration that the industry has responded with new Rules and technology to address the safety deficiency, the response to Recommendation R06-92 is reassessed as Fully Satisfactory.
File status
The TSB will monitor TC’s progress on its planned actions.
This deficiency file is Closed .