Subject: Amtrak PC-2 Inspections / Trucks (7/10/1990)
[1/3/86] PC-2 Inspections - We had asked Amtrak to lengthen the time for inspections after the initial 40-year inspection. You will recall that this inspection requires that the car be jacked, and the trucks rolled out for a very thorough inspection. The current rule calls for repeating this procedure every four years after the fortieth year. Amtrak currently follows the same procedure with its own cars after every 250,000 miles. We asked Amtrak to extend the detailed private car inspection (PC-2) to every 200,000 miles. Effective January 1, Amtrak will extend the detailed private car inspection, after the initial 40-year inspection, to every 200,000 miles, or six years, whichever occurs first. The reason for continuing a time limit was the fear of deterioration because of environmental factors. We welcome this extension, and will work to lengthen it, if possible.
[5/11/87] LATERAL CLEARANCES ON TRUCKS - Some confusion has arisen on the amount of journal box lateral clearance which is acceptable to Amtrak. The maximum allowable journal box clearance is 5/8" per axle on 4 wheel trucks. This clearance governs the amount of side-to-side freedom of the wheel set in the truck frame. Obviously some clearance is necessary to allow free movement of the boxes - shoot for 1/4". It is measured by adding the distances between the backside of the pedestal liner and the back wear plate on the journal box on each side. No simple measurement can be made with Hyatt bearings, because the outer race floats on the axle. Here you must measure the thrust blocks too. Six wheel trucks require more clearance in the center axle, in order to negotiate curves. Here 1-1/4" is the acceptable maximum.
[6/20/88] 40 Year Inspections - Amtrak has announced that it will no longer perform 40 year inspections on private cars at any of its facilities except Beech Grove or Wilmington. The reason is that if there are defects found which require repairs, none of the other Amtrak facilities have the parts and crews necessary to effect such repairs. In addition, there is concern over the nature and thoroughness of the 40 year inspections (you will recall that these inspections are required when the car is 40 years old, and every six years thereafter). Instances have been reported of cars being passed which were plainly defective with respect to certain tolerances and clearances.
Again, an ad hoc committee has been authorized by the board to work with Mr. Laird in resolving these problems. Part of the solution may simply lie in writing better inspection forms, and accompanying them with detailed procedures, so that all inspectors are looking for, and measuring, the same laterals and clearances. In addition, we must make some accommodation with Amtrak with respect to the location for these inspections, because there are several parts of the country where there simply are no passenger car shops to provide jacking services whereby 40 year inspections can be made. Although it is possible to hire cranes and lift cars off of their trucks at most any siding, this becomes a very expensive proposition, and is not conducive to either safety or a thorough inspection.
[9/26/88] 40 Year Inspection - Ed Laird spoke for about 2 hours Friday at the convention on the 40 year inspection, and what he presently believes will be necessary. The report to the active members, which was previously sent to you, was given to him, along with our committee's recommendations prior to the convention. He, and others in engineering, will consider this material and hope to have their recommendations available to review in about 1-1/2 months. Amtrak will develop new PC forms and instructions, and we will be allowed to comment upon these before they go into force.
A very effective demonstration was provided at the convention. SW Rail (Harold Schroeder) brought a semi-trailer to the convention upon which he had mounted an unrebuilt truck recently used by the N de M. Also presented was a completely rebuilt truck, and then a number of parts which showed defects of various sorts. In addition, Amtrak brought a number of parts from Chicago and Beech Grove which similarly had defects. Mr. Laird demonstrated with a number of these parts that the defects were hidden until the truck was completely disassembled. The great majority of the audience felt that he graphically made his point concerning the disassembly of these trucks.
In the meantime, Mr. Laird advised that the current 40 year inspections are acceptable, and will remain in force for 200,000 miles or 6 years, when they ordinarily expire. We do not expect to have the new forms and procedure for the updated 40 year inspection for several more months. Mr. Laird emphasized that when the new 40 year inspection goes into force, that he anticipates two step inspections. One when the truck is completely disassembled and gritblasted, and another when the truck is reassembled.
Although this is not yet definite, I believe that the following scenario will be close to the way Amtrak finally comes out on truck inspections: At 40 years, a complete teardown of the trucks will be required. This includes removal of all parts, grit blasting of many of them, dye checking for cracks, and reassembly with replaced bushings and pins, as needed. Magnafluxing and Brinell testing will not be required, unless there are indications that these additional steps are necessary. Draft gear will be manipulated to see if there is excess play but removal will not be required unless indicated. The center sill must be cleaned for inspection in the high stress area, namely within two or three feet of the joinder of the center sill with the body bolster, and both of these parts will be inspected for any signs of deterioration or cracks. Removal of water tanks, generators, and the like from the center sill will not be required unless there are signs of deterioration. This inspection will be a virtually one time inspection, and should be good for at least 800,000 miles. Further, Amtrak will require a lighter inspection at 6 year or 200,000 mile intervals. This will be similar to our current 40 year inspections. Finally, there will continue to be an annual walk around inspection for obvious defects and deterioration.
Mr. Laird asked that the car owners see that the PC3 form, which is a record of repairs to the car, be kept up to date, and that a copy be submitted to him when repairs are made. He will then enter this data in the computer for a permanent record of repairs to your car. This also serves as an indication to him that maintenance is being performed at regular intervals.
[4/10/89] New 40 Year Inspection - The new 40 year inspection forms and instructions have now been issued, effective April 1, 1989. I have previously urged you to keep Amtrak advised of your current address, and they are now in the process of addressing the mailing to the owners of all of the cars for which permanent 800,000 numbers have been assigned, a complete set of the new forms. There are 37 pages of material involved including a new SMP 28603 dated April 1, 1989, and PC1, PC1A, PC2, PC2A (with three different mileages shown thereon) PC3, PC4 and PC5 forms; along with several pages of instructions for both the PC2 and the PC2A forms. If you have not received your copy directly from Amtrak by the end of April, then you may order a copy from Larry Haines (whose address is shown on the return envelope) by sending him your name and address, your car name and Amtrak number, and $1 to cover postage.
The new procedure consists of a new, and more extensive 40 year inspection. This inspection will require the complete tear-down of both trucks, the disassembly of all of the parts on the truck, including spring planks, spring seats, brake beams, and the like. The parts are to be cleaned by grit blasting, or other methods set forth in the procedure, all of the parts are to be inspected, stress areas are to be tested by magnaflux or by dye checking, and the inspector is to sign off on the disassembled truck. Inspection is to also be made of various other underbody parts of the car, but the center sill does not have to be stripped, nor do the bearings have to be sent to a bearing shop. Instead, manipulation of the bearings by simple rotation, feeling for rough spots and listening for unusual noises, is all that is required. Hyatt bearings require somewhat more inspection, but this is easily done since they come apart without the use of a press. All bushings and pins are to be inspected, and those worn more than 10% must be replaced. Frankly, this is a very generous allowance, and you will probably wish to replace those which show any signs of wear while you have the trucks apart, especially case hardened pins. Note that wheels within 5/16 of an inch of the condemning limit are to be replaced. Spicer drives which are no longer in use are to be removed from the axle. After the trucks have been put back together, then another inspection is made to make certain that nothing was missed.
After the new 40 year inspection, the next inspection will be at 200,000 miles, or 10 years, whichever occurs first. This is the inspection on form PC2A and you will note that while the trucks must be rolled out, there is no required tear-down, unless the conditions warrant further investigation. This inspection most closely resembles the 40 year inspections you have been receiving in the past. The next inspection is at 350,000 miles, or 10 more years, whichever occurs first. It is identical to the 200,000 mile inspection. The third inspection is at 500,000 miles or 10 more years from the previous PC2A inspection, whichever occurs first. Again, it is identical to the 200,000 mile inspection. At 650,000 miles or 40 years, you then start over again with a new 40 year inspection.
The intent of the inspection forms and instructions is to set forth various parameters which must be met. Thus, you will find allowable tolerances, and recommended measurements, which should give the inspector better guidelines, than in the past. In addition, you should read the instructions and the forms carefully and not make assumptions. If the procedure does not call for something to be done, then it is not required. However, in all matters, the AAR and FRA rules for passenger cars must be followed, as well as those SMPs of Amtrak relating to proper repairs and rebuilding.
As to those cars which have previously had a 40 year inspection, they will be allowed to run for 200,000, or 6 years, from the date of the last 40 year inspection, whereupon they must submit to the new 40 year procedure. Thus, if you had a 40 year inspection 2 years ago, you do not need to perform this new procedure until 4 more years, or until you have gone 200,000 miles under the old procedure.
Elton Miller is willing to consider waiving the new 40 year inspection if you can demonstrate with shop records, bills of material, and other appropriate documentation, that all of the procedures called for in the new inspection were performed. Obviously, the burden of proof is upon you to make this showing. One owner (Colonial Crafts) has already submitted the appropriate material, and a waiver has been granted.
By way of background, Ed Joscelyn (owners), Harold Schroeder (shops), and I met with E. D. Laird and Elton Miller on March 6 from 8 until 5 in New Orleans to discuss the proposed inspection materials. We went over every sentence of the new materials, and were quite pleased with the give and take. Nearly every sentence was modified in the process. While we did not win every point which we pressed, nonetheless we believe the overall procedure is fair and workable.
As you work through these new documents, you may find materials which we missed, or you may have questions as to why certain things were included. If you will put your thoughts in writing, and send them to me, I will be happy to attempt to answer your questions, or provide any further explanation which may be necessary. I have found few rough spots in the language, and these can be cleared up in subsequent editions.
[12/26/89] 40 Year Inspection - Part of the 40 year inspection procedure is in SMP No. 46617 issued April 1, 1989, which concerns the heavy truck overhaul procedure for private cars. We have discovered some inadvertent errors in this SMP, the most important being sentences which call for visual inspection, and magna-fluxing or dye checking of brake beams, brake heads, brake levers and springs. With regard to these items only, the procedure will be changed to a simple visual inspection, and if defects are found or suspected, then either magna-flux or dye check. Dye checking or magna-fluxing will be required of all bolsters, spring planks, spring seats, and equalizers. Other minor changes are also being made in the language which now appears to call for the replacement of parts, whether worn or not. Elton Miller advises that 29 cars have now completed the new 40 year inspection.
[7/10/90] 40 Year Inspections - As a matter of statistics, Elton Miller advises that 29 cars had the new 40 year inspection (complete tear down) performed last year, and that 14 have been completed so far this year, with 8 more in process. No one who has had the work performed has reported that it was unnecessary - instead, all reports that I have received indicate that the work needed to be done. A variety of hidden cracks and worn parts have been discovered.
Paul L. DeVerter II
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