There is a new EPA rule that will enter the public comment stage soon. It relates to new emissions controls of locomotive and marine diesels 'freshly manufactured' since 1973. Any of you with post-1973 diesels might want to look at the docket below to see what's in store for you and have input during the public comment window.

Nonroad Diesel Docket
n2xjk@yahoo.com

Likewise can anyone here tell us more about the new 50 year freight car rule the FRA plans to issue soon? A good source says that all freight cars fifty years or older including ones in use on tourist railroads and museums, will be banned from operation unless they are carried over by a waiver.

> There is a new EPA rule that will enter the
> public comment stage soon. It relates to new
> emissions controls of locomotive and marine
> diesels 'freshly manufactured' since 1973.
> Any of you with post-1973 diesels might want
> to look at the docket below to see what's in
> store for you and have input during the
> public comment window.

> Likewise can anyone here tell us more about
> the new 50 year freight car rule the FRA
> plans to issue soon? A good source says that
> all freight cars fifty years or older
> including ones in use on tourist railroads
> and museums, will be banned from operation
> unless they are carried over by a waiver.

Are you sure that isn't an AAR regulation that applies only to interchange?

A lot of people blames FRA for a supposed ban on friction bearings, but FRA didn't care then or now about that. It was an AAR reg and it didn;t ban them entirely, only from interchange.

> Are you sure that isn't an AAR regulation
> that applies only to interchange?

I agree that it is probably an AAR reg and it (fifty year age ban) has been in effect for a long time. Further, a lot of the large Class I railraoads have 'superimposed' their own age limit of 40 years. While in some cases a waiver can be obtained for a special move or for disposal (is that rule 92 - enroute to final destination?) it has driven the constant renewal of the nation's interchange car fleet, and made some nice cars available for preservation.

Also, this does not apply to captive cars on line or in MOW service.

Bob Kutella

68trolley@comcast.net

> It's already in effect.

> A freight car over 50 years old (there are
> other qualifiers as well, but EVERYTHING
> over 50 years) must carry an "R"
> stenciled prominently to indicate it is in
> restricted service. (One can apply for a
> waiver for the stenciling.)

> I'm not aware of any ban on use - just
> restrictions on interchange service.

> JAC

215.203 Restricted cars.
(a) This section restricts the operation of any railroad freight car is—
(1) More than 50 years old, measured from the date of original construction;
(2) Equipped with any design or component listed in appendix A topart; or
(3) Equipped with a Duryea underframe constructed before April 1950, except for a caboose which is operated as the last car in a train.
(b) A railroad may not place or continue in service a railroad freight described in paragraph (a) of this section, except under conditions approved by the Federal Railroad Administrator.
(c) A railroad may petition the Administrator to continue in service described in paragraph (a) of this section. Each petition shall be
(1) Be submitted not less than 90 before the car is to be operated;
(2) Be submitted in triplicate; and
(3) State or describe the following:
(i) The name and principal business address of the petitioning railroad.
(ii) The name and address of the entity that controls the operation maintenance of the car involved.
(iii) The number, type, capacity, reporting marks, and car numbers of cars, their condition, status, and measured from the date of original construction.
(iv) The design, type component, or other item that causes the car to be restricted.
(v) The maximum load the cars would carry.
(vi) The maximum speed at which the cars would be operated.
(vii) That each car has been examined and found to be safe to operate under the conditions set forth in the petition.
(viii) The territorial limits within which the cars are to be operated and the name of each railroad that will receive the cars in interchange.

215.303 Stenciling of restricted cars.
(a) Each restricted railroad freight car that is described in § 215.205(a) of this part shall be stenciled, or marked—
(1) In clearly legible letters; and
(2) In accordance with paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section.
(b) The letter ‘‘R’’ shall be—
(1) Placed immediately below or to the right of the car number;
(2) The same color as the reporting mark; and
(3) The same size as the reporting mark.
(c) The following terms, to the extent needed to completely indicate the basis for the restricted operation of the car, shall be placed on the car following the symbol ‘‘R’’ in letters not less than one inch high:
(1) Age.
(2) Coupler.
(3) Draft.
(4) Bearings.
(5) Truck.
(6) Underframe.
(7) Wheels.
(8) Yoke.

APPENDIX A TO PART 215—RAILROAD
FREIGHT CAR COMPONENTS
List of components whose use is restricted by § 215.203 of this part.
A. Air brakes:
The ‘‘K’’ type.

B. Axles:
1. Former AAR alternate standard tubular type.
2. Axle with letters ‘‘RJ’’ stamped on the end of the journal.

C. Couplers:
1. AAR type ‘‘D’’, top or bottom operated.
2. AAR type ‘‘E’’ with 5. by 7. shank.

D. Draft arrangement:
1. Miner FR–16 and FR–19–F draft gears.
2. Farlow draft attachment.

E. Plain journal bearings:
Cartridge type.

F. Roller bearings:
1. Nippon Sieko Kabushiki Kaish (NSK) size 61/2. by 12. (marked ‘‘AAR 11’’).
2. Hyatt cylindrical bearing, all sizes marked ‘‘AAR 2’’).
3. SKF ‘‘Piggybacker’’ spherical roller, size
6. by 11. (marked ‘‘AAR 7’’).

G. Trucks:
1. Arch bar type.
2. Truck with cast steel pedestal side frame, short wheel base, and no bolster.

H. Truck bolsters:
1. A bolster with one of the following pattern numbers listed according to manufacturer:
A.S.F. Dresser (Symington) Birdsboro Lenoir car works
21183–B ................. BO 5234 1458 CS–184. 1468
21183–N ................. BO 5263 1471 CS–611. BO 7076
21648–C ................. BO 7076–A
22056–E ................. BO 7115
2. Bolster cast before 1927.
3. Bolster without an identification mark or pattern number.

I. 1. Truck side frames:
A side frame with one of the following pattern numbers listed according to manufacturer:
A.S.F. National
castings Buckeye Dominion
7273 ......................... 33793–1B 3–1776 TF–5100
7323 ......................... .................. F–420
21362 (cast prior to June 1941).
Pittsburgh steel foundry
Scullin steel
Bettendorf
Canadian steel foundry
31673 ....................... 42–CS–
180
UT 456 26565
4–1862.
3–1674 ..................... 4665
4–2045 ..................... 4770
12897 ....................... 4942
12921 ....................... 5220
21263 ....................... 5364
5364–C
5364–E
5811–A
5869–B
6577–A
2. Side frame cast before 1927.
3. Side frame without an identification mark or pattern number.
4. Side frame with an ‘‘I’’, ‘‘T’’, or ‘‘L’’ section compression or tension member.

J. Wheels:
1. Cast iron wheel.
2. Cast steel wheel marked ‘‘AAR X–2.’’
3. Southern cast steel wheel manufactured before May 7, 1958.
4. Griffin, three-riser cast steel wheel, ball rim design, 70-ton capacity.
5. Griffin, three-riser cast steel wheel, twowear, 70- and 50-ton capacity, 33 inch, (marked X–5 or CS–2).
6. Wrought steel wheel manufactured before 1927, as indicated by marking on wheel.
7. Cast steel wheel marked AAR X–4.
8. Davis cast steel wheel.
9. One-wear, 70-ton Southern (ABEX) U1 cast steel wheels dated May 7, 1958 through December 31, 1969.
A. Wheels dated May 7, 1958, to January 1, 1964, are marked with the symbol ‘‘70T’’ cast on the back of the wheel plate; they are not marked ‘‘U–1.’’

About 30-35 years ago the AAR put in an age limitation on interchange cars. Initially this was a 50 year rule. Within a year or two a sliding scale that would reduce it to a 40 year rule went into effect.

I recall reading at the time in one of the trade publications that the tank car lines were particularly upset about the age rule. So many of their cars would be affected and they maintained that their maintenance was exceptional. All of the samll old tank cars went away because of this rule.

Brian Norden

As John Craft cited from 49 CFR 215, above, a railroad on the general system has to stencil its restricted, in-service freight cars as defined in 215 with a big "R", followed by stencils that note the cause of restriction. If the railroad doesn't want to destroy the appearance of an historic paint scheme with the stenciling requirement, then it must seek a waiver from the FRA.

This has nothing to do with interchange, and there really are no exceptions unless one is not otherwise under FRA jurisdiction. The rule has been in effect for some time.

Steve

Strasburg Rail Road Mechanical Department
ssweaver@paonline.com