Subject: Brake Systems (8/31/1992)
[1/3/86] Mechanical Inspection - Amtrak has recently faced a 2-1/2 hour train delay, caused by faulty HEP wiring, and thereafter faulty air brakes. You must anticipate that all Amtrak inspections will be much stricter than they have been in the past. There is some talk of requiring all HEP installations to be physically checked by an Amtrak inspector, or an inspector certified by Amtrak. Furthermore, there is a perception that proper air brake work is not being performed at the FRA mandated intervals. Single car tests by authorized personnel may be the first step, but even more stringent requirements may be forthcoming. As you know, the length of time between cleaning of air brakes depends upon the type of brake installed on your car. The UC time limit is 15 months, the D-22 is 24 months, 26-C is 36 months, while AB (freight brake) are eight years and the ABDW (freight brake) are 16 years. Amtrak will currently only allow one freight brake in a passenger train, because it does not have graduated release.
[11/5/86] Brake Systems - Ed Laird indicated that Amtrak is now experimenting with a new ABDW-G brake, which is apparently being supplied by New York Air Brake. It has the graduated release feature, which is useful in handling passenger trains. Mr. Laird advises that if you can keep your present brake system in service for three or four more years, this new brake system may be approved for Amtrak service.
[8/31/87] Air Brakes Out of Date - In the past, it has been possible to move freight cars under Rule 88, and passenger cars under AAR Standard 2.1.2.1 when the air brakes are out of date, providing that the brakes do, in fact, work. Generally, this was done in connection with a movement of a car to a repair shop, or to be scrapped. Thus, you have seen the placard on the side of cars reading "Home Shop for Repairs" and generally citing one of the above-mentioned AAR rules. Effective approximately one month ago, such cars are not suitable for movement on the Southern Pacific, either in freight or in passenger (Amtrak) service. This is because the Federal Railroad Administration has advised Southern Pacific that it will no longer recognize these AAR rules. Instead, a written waiver must be applied for, and obtained from the FRA, if you desire to move an out of date car. The FRA advises that this rule will be applied by their inspectors to all railroads. Apparently the problem is being caused by an exceedingly large number of freight cars whose air dates have expired, and there is otherwise insufficient capacity to properly clean these brakes. Rather than allow these cars to be operated, and cause potential safety problems, the FRA is requiring the railroads to seek written exceptions for each movement. If you need a waiver from the FRA, you should write to:
Joe W. Walsh, Associate Administrator for Safety
United States Department of Transportation
Federal Railroad Administration, Room 8222
400 7th Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20590
Your letter should include the beginning and ending points, the routes to be taken, the mileage on each carrier, the interchange points, a complete identification of the car and known problems, and the dates you wish to make the move. You should allow at least a week for your request to be processed. The FRA will probably send an inspector to look at your car. If approved, the FRA will send you a letter advising you of the conditions under which you may move the car, and of the fact that they will take no exception to the particular movement. You will need to provide a copy of this letter to the NRPC officer of each carrier railroad, and send a copy to Laddie Shrbeny and to Ed Laird.
[6/20/88] Armored Hoses - Armored hoses were removed from the approved list by the AAR over 8 years ago. However, a number of private cars are still seen with armored hoses between the car body and the truck frame. The AAR sets the life of all air hoses at a maximum of 8 years. If your car has an armored hose, it is obvious that the hose is old, and you should replace it with a new one which you can obtain from your local Westinghouse or New York Air Brake supplier.
[8/15/88] Brake Shoes - Many people have asked what life to expect of brake shoes, and I have asked our two experts, Marty McDonough and Ed Laird for their opinions. I am advised that you should get between 7-10,000 miles out of a cast iron brake shoe, and about 60,000 miles out of a disc brake shoe liner. On the other hand, if the right of way has many curves and requires lots of braking, you will get less. When a cast iron brake shoe is worn to less than 1/2 inch of thickness, then you will not get more than 1,000 more miles out of the shoe, and it is time for it to be scrapped. There is a gage mark cast in the shoe. When you get down to 1/4 inch of thickness in the disc brake shoe liners, you stand a good chance of the rivets beginning to bear into the disc, and cause grooves.
[9/26/88] Air Brakes - Chuck Florian and Jim Young, of New York Air Brake, presented an update since our Pittsburgh Convention, on improvements in and modifications to passenger car air brakes. Amtrak is currently testing a revision to the D-22 system which will incorporate a 26-C service portion and a # 8 vent valve for the emergency portion. New York Air Brake is providing a pipe bracket which can be substituted for the D-22 pipe bracket, and the advantage is that all of the piping currently going to your D-22 pipe bracket will fit the new pipe bracket, without modification to the pipe layout.
[1/26/89] Hand Brakes - There have been a few instances recently where the hand brakes on private cars have not held sufficiently to prevent the cars from moving on an incline. You should lubricate and inspect your hand brakes before every trip, and take whatever steps are necessary to make certain that they are in proper working order.
[4/10/89] Air Brake Cleaning - Bryan Reese suggested that we contact the air brake companies to see if we could obtain some sort of discount based upon the quantity of our member's brakes to be cleaned by any particular company. We were able to secure a commitment for a 15% discount plus free freight in returning the cleaned parts from Comet. We have received price lists from 4 or 5 companies. The board has authorized the mechanical committee to see if the members are interested in working on a group rate. I will attempt to work on this project, as time permits.
[7/10/90] Air Brakes - There have been incidents reported where cars do not go into emergency when the emergency brake valve is thrown. This can be caused by two different problems. In older cars, there is no E-3 brake application valve (in reality a relay valve operated by the emergency brake valve). Instead, the emergency brake valve itself has a very large diameter port, which should be sufficient to put the car in emergency. However, if the line leading to or from the valve is restricted, this emergency action might not happen. Likewise, if the application valve leaks, and is plugged off, then throwing the emergency valve similarly will not put the car in emergency. You may know the valve is plugged, but the trainman who is backing your train into a station may not. He expects the valve to work. Part of your COT&S routine is to check and see that each emergency valve will, in fact, put the car into emergency. I check every time the car leaves our siding. On a different subject, I have received a service bulletin from Wabco advising against covering the entire domed area of piston packing cups with brake cylinder grease. Only the cylinder walls and the sealing periphery of the packing cup should be greased. Putting grease on the remainder of the packing cup serves no useful purpose, wastes grease, and causes swelling of the packing cup.
[3/11/91] Air Brake Hoses - Effective July 19, 1990, the AAR requires crimped ferruls on both ends of all air hoses and the radiator type hose clamp is no longer acceptable. In fact, they are now condemnable on sight. I am not certain whether this also applies to the connections between the car body and the truck, but it probably does. If those hoses do not have the crimped ferrules, it probably means they are more than 8 years old, and well out of date, in any event.
[12/27/91] Back-up Hoses - Back-up hoses are owned by many of our members. They are typically made of the same material that is used for the glad hand brake hose, which means that the hoses have a metal reinforcing braid. The New York Division of Amtrak has banned these hoses, because if the metal fitting on the end of the hose were to touch the third rail (as you install it, or take it off), then the entire hose becomes a conductor of electricity, and can kill you if you are manipulating it. I understand that the New York Division now issues a "red" colored hose for this purpose which does not include the internal metal braid, hence these hoses are undoubtedly safer to use. You should make sure that the proper back-up hose is utilized if you are traveling through third-rail territory.
[8/31/92] D-22 Brakes - Everyone knows that the emergency and service portions of the D-22 valve should be removed and cleaned every 24 months. I am reminded by O. Z. Huff, foreman of Amtrak's Houston facility, that the pipe bracket, which is fixed to the car, houses a primary filter, which should be cleaned at the same time that the D-22 valve is cleaned. There is a rather large screwed closure which holds the filter in the pipe bracket, which is readily apparent when the portions are removed. It takes a special spanner to unscrew this closure, and when you have done so, there you will find the filter. I have made a special wrench which attaches to my 1/2" socket set for removing this closure, and if you would like a sketch, I will be happy to send it to you.
Paul L. DeVerter II
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