Tank Car Identification

49 CFR Sec. 173.31(d) Examination before shipping. (1) No person may offer for transportation a tank car containing a hazardous material or a residue of a hazardous material unless that person determines that the tank car is in proper condition and safe for transportation. As a minimum, each person offering a tank car for transportation must perform an external visual inspection that includes: (ix) The required markings on the tank car for legibility; and (x) The periodic inspection date markings to ensure that the inspection and test intervals are within the prescribed intervals.

Prefix and Number

49 CFR Sec173.31 ( b Loading & Shipping ) (1) Examination before Shipment. When Tank Cars are loaded and prior to shipping, the shipper must determine to the extent practicable, that the tank, safety appurtenances and fittings are in proper condition for the safe transportation of the lading.

49 CFR Sec. 173.31(d) Examination before shipping. (1) No person may offer for transportation a tank car containing a hazardous material or a residue of a hazardous material unless that person determines that the tank car is in proper condition and safe for transportation. As a minimum, each person offering a tank car for transportation must perform an external visual inspection that includes: (ix) The required markings on the tank car for legibility; and (x) The periodic inspection date markings to ensure that the inspection and test intervals are within the prescribed intervals.

Other Markings

49CFR Sec. 179.13 Tank car capacity and gross weight limitation. Tank cars built after November 30, 1970, must not exceed 34,500 gallons capacity or 263,000 pounds gross weight on rail. Existing tank cars may not be converted to exceed 34,500 gallons capacity or 263,000 pounds gross weight on rail.[Amdt. 179-4, 35 FR 14217, Sept. 9, 1970]

49 CFR Sec. 173.31(d) Examination before shipping. (1) No person may offer for transportation a tank car containing a hazardous material or a residue of a hazardous material unless that person determines that the tank car is in proper condition and safe for transportation. As a minimum, each person offering a tank car for transportation must perform an external visual inspection that includes: (ix) The required markings on the tank car for legibility; and (x) The periodic inspection date markings to ensure that the inspection and test intervals are within the prescribed intervals.

Stenciling

AAR Rule 80 - Painting and Stenciling

A. Cause for Renewal

1. As required.

B. Correct Repairs

7. Home Shop Stencil or Decal.

a. When applied, Home Shop Stencil must read in 2-inch letters "HOME SHOP FOR REPAIRS" and must be painted in a color giving good contrast with car on which stenciled.

E. General Information

1. The following stencil, with at least 2" letters has to be applied to tank cars equipped with exterior thermal coatings and to covered hopper cars equipped with exterior thermal coatings, interior protective coatings or rubber, polyvinyl chloride and polyurethane elastomeric linings

a. Kind of coating or lining (name).

b. Date (Mo. And Year) of application.

2. Cars equipped with sparger systems and/or outside heater coils must be stenciled showing type of system or kind of coils, in not less than 1" lettering.

3. Containers (metal, rubber, combination metal rubber) of container cars, must be stenciled showing date built new (month and year), in not less than 1" lettering.

4. Open top cars equipped with chain tie-downs must stenciled in not less than 1" letters, applied to each side of car, indicating the the number, length, size and working load of chains standard to car. The foregoing does not apply to multi- level cars.

5. All cars which use high friction composition brake shoes must be stenciled at the AL, BL, AR and BR in not less than 1 1/2" letters. Showing type and thickness of brake shoes standard to car.
9. Effective for inspections after January 1, 1996, when tank cars have been inspected in accord with Field Manual Rule 88.B.2, They must be stenciled "INSP RULE 88 B MO./YR" in letters at least 1" high on both sides of the cars.

AAR Rule 1-CARE OF FREIGHT CARS

3. Disposition

e. Any leaking tank, regardless of commodity carried, shall have stenciled on each side adjacent to the car number in 3-inch high letters the words "LEAKING TANK, DO NOT LOAD UNTIL REPAIRED". Also the location of the leak must be stenciled with the symbol "X".

49 CFR Sec. 173.31(d) Examination before shipping. (1) No person may offer for transportation a tank car containing a hazardous material or a residue of a hazardous material unless that person determines that the tank car is in proper condition and safe for transportation. As a minimum, each person offering a tank car for transportation must perform an external visual inspection that includes: (ix) The required markings on the tank car for legibility; and (x) The periodic inspection date markings to ensure that the inspection and test intervals are within the prescribed intervals.

Paint

AAR Rule 80 - Painting and Stenciling

A. Cause for Renewal

1. As required.

B. Correct Repairs

7. Home Shop Stencil or Decal.

a. When applied, Home Shop Stencil must read in 2-inch letters "HOME SHOP FOR REPAIRS" and must be painted in a color giving good contrast with car on which stenciled.

E. General Information

1. The following stencil, with at least 2" letters has to be applied to tank cars equipped with exterior thermal coatings and to covered hopper cars equipped with exterior thermal coatings, interior protective coatings or rubber, polyvinyl chloride and polyurethane elastomeric linings

a. Kind of coating or lining (name).

b. Date (Mo. And Year) of application.

2. Cars equipped with sparger systems and/or outside heater coils must be stenciled showing type of system or kind of coils, in not less than 1" lettering.

3. Containers (metal, rubber, combination metal rubber) of container cars, must be stenciled showing date built new (month and year), in not less than 1" lettering.

4. Open top cars equipped with chain tie-downs must stenciled in not less than 1" letters, applied to each side of car, indicating the the number, length, size and working load of chains standard to car. The foregoing does not apply to multi- level cars.

5. All cars which use high friction composition brake shoes must be stenciled at the AL, BL, AR and BR in not less than 1-1/2" letters. Showing type and thickness of brake shoes standard to car.

9. Effective for inspections after January 1, 1996, when tank cars have been inspected in accord with Field Manual Rule 88.B.2, They must be stenciled "INSP RULE 88 B MO./YR" in letters at least 1" high on both sides of the cars.

AAR Rule 88 - Mechanical Requirements for Acceptance.

A. At any time

b. DOT 112-S and 114-S cars in anhydrous ammonia service must be painted or cleaned every 5 years to functionally restore the original white appearance. Year painted or cleaned must be stenciled on the car.

13. Stenciling

a. In addition to other stenciling requirements, all cars must bear the following:
(1) Lightweight and Load limit markings per Rule 70, Section B.
(a) Lightweight stencils not required for multi level and intermodal cars.
(b) Load limit markings for all cars must be applied prior to January 1, 1997.
(2) Standard air brake markings per Rule 80, Section B.
(d) Stenciling
(1) All cars repainted must be stenciled in accordance with standard S-910 of the Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, or AAR Specification for Tank Cars as applicable. The following additional stenciling is required:
(a) Reporting marks and car numbers on one side of each truck bolster.
(b) Date built new or rebuilt, month and year. Tank and underframe of tank, built at different times, must each bear distinctive dates.
© Mechanical designation is optional. If applied, it must be in 3" letters placed on the same line directly to the right of load limit.
(d) Cars within the dimensions of Plate C, E, or F that exceed the dimensions of Plate B or in excess of Plate F, must be stenciled per Standard S-913.
(g) Consolidated stencil must be applied per Rule 80, Section B and located in accordance with Section L of the Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices.
(h) Cars equipped with high friction composition brake shoes must be stenciled at all four corners in not less than 1 1/2 inch block letters, indicating type and thickness of brake shoes standard to car.
(i) When structural limitation of a car is less than truck capacity , a star symbol (*) must be applied to the left of the load limit stencil.

Tank Condition

AAR Rule 81 - Tank and Tank Car Repairs

A. Cause for Repairs

1. As Required.

B. Correct Repairs


49 CFR Sec173.31 ( b Loading & Shipping ) (1) Examination before Shipment. When Tank Cars are loaded and prior to shipping, the shipper must determine to the extent practicable , that the tank ,safety appurtenances and fittings are in proper condition for the safe transportation of the lading.

49 CFR Sec. 173.31(d) Examination before shipping. (1) No person may offer for transportation a tank car containing a hazardous material or a residue of a hazardous material unless that person determines that the tank car is in proper condition and safe for transportation. As a minimum,
each person offering a tank car for transportation must perform an external visual inspection that includes: (i) Except where insulation or a thermal protection system precludes an inspection, the tank shell and heads for abrasion, corrosion, cracks, dents, distortions, defects in welds, or any other condition that makes the tank car unsafe for transportation;

49CFRSec. 179.100-8 Tank heads. (a) The tank head shape shall be an ellipsoid of revolution in which the major axis shall equal the diameter of the shell adjacent to the head and the minor axis shall be one-half the major axis. (b) Each tank head made from steel which is required to be ``fine grain'' by the material specification, which is hot formed at a temperature exceeding 1700 deg. F., must be normalized after forming by heating to a temperature between 1550 deg. and 1700 deg. F., by holding at that temperature for at least 1 hour per inch of thickness (30-minute minimum), and then by cooling in air. If the material specification requires quenching and tempering, the treatment specified in that specification must be used instead of the one specified above.[29 FR 18995, Dec. 29, 1964. Redesignated, 32 FR 5606, Apr. 5, 1967 and amended by Amdt. 179-12, 39 FR 15038, Apr. 30, 1974]Sec. 179.100-9 Welding. (a) All joints shall be fusion-welded in compliance with the requirements of AAR Specifications for Tank Cars, appendix W. Welding procedures, welders and fabricators shall be approved. Also see Sec. 179.104. (b) [Reserved]Sec. 179.100-10 Postweld heat treatment. (a) After welding is complete, steel tanks and all attachments welded thereto must be postweld heat treated as a unit in compliance with the requirements of AAR Specifications for Tank Cars, appendix W. (b) For aluminum tanks, postweld heat treatment is prohibited. (c) Tank and welded attachments, fabricated from ASTM A 240 Type 304L or Type 316L materials do not require postweld heat treatment, but these materials do require a corrosion resistance test as specified in Sec. 179.100-7(c)(2).[Amdt. 179-10, 36 FR 21345, Nov. 6, 1971, as amended by Amdt. 179-47, 58 FR 50238, Sept. 24, 1993; Amdt. 179-52, 61 FR 28679, June 5, 1996]

49CFRSec. 179.100-4 Insulation. (a) If insulation is applied, the tank shell and manway nozzle must be insulated with an approved material. The entire insulation must be covered with a metal jacket of a thickness not less than 11 gauge (0.1196 inch) nominal (Manufacturers' Standard Gauge) and flashed around all openings so as to be weather-tight. The exterior surface of a carbon steel tank, and the inside surface of a carbon steel jacket must be given a protective coating. (b) If insulation is a specification requirement, it shall be of sufficient thickness so that the thermal conductance at 60 deg. F is not more than 0.075 Btu per hour, per square foot, per degree F temperature differential. If exterior heaters are attached to tank, the[[Page 935]]thickness of the insulation over each heater element may be reduced to one-half that required for the shell.[29 FR 18995, Dec. 29, 1964. Redesignated at 32 FR 5606, Apr. 5, 1967, and amended by Amdt. 179-10, 36 FR 21344, Nov. 6, 1971; Amdt. 179-50, 60 FR 49077, Sept. 21, 1995]Sec. 179.100-6 Thickness of plates. (a) The wall thickness after forming of the tank shell and heads must not be less than that specified in Sec. 179.101, nor that calculated by the following formula: t=Pd/2SEwhere:d=Inside diameter in inches; E=1.0 welded joint efficiency; except for heads with seams=0.9; P=Minimum required bursting pressure in p.s.i.;S=Minimum tensile strength of plate material in p.s.i., as prescribed in Sec. 179.100-7; t=Minimum thickness of plate in inches after forming. (b) If plates are clad with material having tensile strength properties at least equal to the base plate, the cladding may be considered a part of the base plate when determining thickness. If cladding material does not have tensile strength at least equal to the base plate, the base plate alone shall meet the thickness requirement. (c) When aluminum plate is used, the minimum width of bottom sheet of tank shall be 60 inches, measured on the arc, but in all cases the width shall be sufficient to bring the entire width of the longitudinal welded joint, including welds, above the bolster.[29 FR 18995, Dec. 29, 1964. Redesignated at 32 FR 5606, Apr. 5, 1967, and amended by Amdt. 179-10, 36 FR 21344, Nov. 6, 1971]Sec. 179.100-7 Materials. (a) Steel plate: Steel plate materials used to fabricate tank shell and manway nozzle must comply with one of the following specifications with the indicated minimum tensile strength and elongation in the welded condition. The maximum allowable carbon content must be 0.31 percent when the individual specification allows carbon greater than this amount. The plates may be clad with other approved materials.

49CFRSec. 179.11 Welding certification. (a) Welding procedures, welders and fabricators shall be approved. (b) [Reserved]

Head Shield

49 CFR Sec. 173.31 (3) Tank-head puncture-resistance requirements. The following tank cars must have a tank-head puncture-resistance system that conforms to the requirements in Sec. 179.16 of this subchapter, or to the corresponding requirements in effect at the time of installation: (i) Tank cars transporting a Class 2 material. (ii) Tank cars constructed from aluminum or nickel plate that are used to transport hazardous material. (iii) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(3)(iv) of this section, those tank cars specified in paragraphs (b)(3)(i) and (ii) of this section not requiring a tank-head puncture resistance system prior to July 1, 1996, must have a tank-head puncture resistance system installed no later than July 1, 2006. (iv) Class DOT 105A tank cars built prior to September 1, 1981, having a tank capacity less than 70 kl (18,500 gallons), and used to transport a Division 2.1 (flammable gas) material, must have a tank-head puncture-resistant system installed no later than July 1, 2001. (4) Thermal protection requirements. The following tank cars must have thermal protection that conforms to the requirements of Sec. 179.18 of this subchapter: (i) Tank cars transporting a Class 2 material, except for a class 106, 107A, 110, and 113 tank car. A tank car equipped with a thermal protection system conforming to Sec. 179.18 of this subchapter, or that has an insulation system having an overall thermal conductance of no more than 0.613 kilojoules per hour, per square meter, per degree Celsius temperature differential (0.03 B.t.u. per square foot, per hour, per degree Fahrenheit temperature differential), conforms to this requirement. (ii) A tank car transporting a Class 2 material that was not required to have thermal protection prior to July 1, 1996, must be equipped with thermal protection no later than July 1, 2006. (5) Bottom-discontinuity protection requirements.

49CFRSec. 179.16 Tank-head puncture-resistance systems. (a) Performance standard. When the regulations in this subchapter require a tank-head puncture-resistance system, the system shall be capable of sustaining, without any loss of lading, coupler-to-tank-head impacts at relative car speeds of 29 km/hour (18 mph) when: (1) The weight of the impact car is at least 119,295 kg (263,000 pounds); (2) The impacted tank car is coupled to one or more backup cars that have a total weight of at least 217,724 kg (480,000 pounds) and the hand brake is applied on the last ``backup'' car; and (3) The impacted tank car is pressurized to at least 6.9 Bar (100 psi). (b) Verification by testing. Compliance with the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section shall be verified by full-scale testing according to Appendix A of this part. (c) Alternative compliance by other than testing. As an alternative to requirements prescribed in paragraph (b) of this section, compliance with the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section may be met by installing full-head protection (shields) or full tank-head jackets on each end of the tank car conforming to the following: (1) The full-head protection (shields) or full tank-head jackets must be at least 1.27 cm (0.5 inch) thick, shaped to the contour of the tank head and made from steel having a tensile strength greater than 379.21 N/mm<SUP>2</SUP> (55,000 psi). (2) The design and test requirements of the full-head protection (shields) or full tank-head jackets must meet the impact test requirements of Section 5.3 of the AAR Specifications for Tank Cars. (3) The workmanship must meet the requirements of Section C, Part II, Chapter 5 of the AAR Specifications for Design, Fabrication, and Construction of Freight Cars.[Amdt. 179-50, 60 FR 49077, Sept. 21, 1995, as amended by Amdt. 179-50, 61 FR 33255, June 26, 1996]Sec. 179.18 Thermal protection systems. (a) Performance standard. When the regulations in this subchapter require thermal protection on a tank car, the tank car must have sufficient thermal resistance so that there will be no release of any lading within the tank car, except release through the pressure release device, when subjected to: (1) A pool fire for 100 minutes; and (2) A torch fire for 30 minutes. (b) Thermal analysis. (1) Compliance with the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section shall be verified by analyzing the fire effects on the entire surface of the tank car. The analysis must consider the fire effects on and heat flux through tank discontinuities, protective housings, underframes, metal jackets, insulation, and thermal protection. A complete record of each analysis shall be made, retained, and upon request, made available for inspection and copying by an authorized representative of the Department. The procedures outlined in ``Temperatures, Pressures, and Liquid Levels of Tank Cars Engulfed in Fires,'' DOT/FRA/OR&D-84/08.11, (1984), Federal Railroad Administration, Washington, DC (available from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA) shall be deemed acceptable for analyzing the fire effects on the entire surface of the tank car. (2) When the analysis shows the thermal resistance of the tank car does not conform to paragraph (a) of this section, the thermal resistance of the tank car must be increased by using a system listed by the Department under paragraph (c) of this section or by testing a new or untried system and verifying it according to appendix B of this part. (c) Systems that no longer require test verification. The Department maintains a list of thermal protection systems that comply with the requirements of appendix B of this part and that no[[Page 934]] longer require test verification. Information necessary to equip tank cars with one of these systems is available in the Dockets Unit, Research and Special Programs Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. [Amdt. 179-50, 60 FR 49077, Sept. 21, 1995, as amended by Amdt. 179-50, 61 FR 33256, June 26, 1996]Sec. 179.20 Service equipment; protection systems. If an applicable tank car specification authorizes location of filling or discharge connections in the bottom shell, the connections must be designed, constructed, and protected according to paragraphs E9.00 and E10.00 of the AAR Specifications for Tank Cars, M-1002.[Amdt. 179-50, 60 FR 49077, Sept. 21, 1995]