Safety Advisory 2006-03, 26403-26404 [06-4173]

Download as PDF 26403 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 86 / Thursday, May 4, 2006 / Notices —FHWA Division Offices, located in each State, provide assistance in developing and approving projects; —The FHWA Resource Center provides technical assistance for systems architecture, standards, integration and system operations to States, metropolitan planning organizations, and local jurisdictions; —The Peer-to-Peer Program offers various ways for States and others to exchange knowledge and provide assistance on specific aspects of realtime system information; and —FHWA Web sites for Traveler Information (https:// www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/travelinfo/), ITS Architecture (https:// www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/its_arch_ imp/), and Standards Implementation (https://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/ int_its_deployment/standards_imp/ standards.htm) provide information relevant to real-time system management information. Summary of Questions A summary of the specific questions posed in this notice follows. Responders are reminded that comments and input may be offered on any part of this notice. —Does September 30, 2009, represent a reasonable time period for implementing the real-time system management information program? What potential obstacles would prevent program implementation by this date? What would be a reasonable time frame for implementing the program? —Are the proposed outcomes—traveler information Web sites, 511 traveler information telephone services, updated regional ITS architectures, and access to data over the Internet— appropriate for gauging the success of a system implemented under the program? What other measures for success would be useful? —Is the proposed definition of ‘‘major highways’’ adequate and appropriate for the purposes of the Real-time System Management Information Program? —How well do the proposed traffic and travel conditions represent reasonable and appropriate basic requirements for the Real-time System Management Information Program? —How well do the proposed criteria for determining real-time information represent reasonable and appropriate minimums for systems implemented under the Real-time System Management Information Program? —How well do the proposed quality attributes of the information present reasonable minimum requirements for systems implemented under the Realtime System Management Information Program? —What system is currently employed by the State department of transportation or other public agency to inventory highway conditions such as construction and maintenance activities, traffic incidents, traffic flow, or other real-time performance of the roadways? —What types of information are recorded by the reporting system, i.e., what traffic or travel conditions are recorded? —How is the reported information provided to the public? —How broadly is the reported information shared with neighboring jurisdictions or other agencies? —What data or communications standards are used by the reporting systems, either for recording information or for sharing information? Issued on: April 28, 2006. Frederick G. Wright, Jr., Executive Director, Federal Highway Administration. [FR Doc. E6–6741 Filed 5–3–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–22–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Railroad Administration Safety Advisory 2006–03 Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of Transportation (DOT). ACTION: Notice of Safety Advisory; Vertical Load Dividers. AGENCY: SUMMARY: FRA is issuing Safety Advisory 2006–03, in order to provide interested parties information related to the potential failure of the welded attachment of vertical load dividers on certain center beam lumber flat cars. The welded attachment of the vertical load dividers on these cars can break away from the car body structure. The vertical load dividers are hollow square tubular steel beams approximately eight (8) feet in height that are welded to the car body structure. The vertical beams serve as load dividers for packaged lumber products. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronald Newman, Staff Director, Motive Power and Equipment Division (RRS– 14), FRA Office of Safety Assurance and Compliance, 1120 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20590, telephone: (202) 493–6241 or Thomas Herrmann, Deputy Assistant Chief Counsel, FRA Office of Chief Counsel, 1120 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20590, telephone: (202) 493–6036. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FRA was recently made aware of the weld failure of a vertical load divider on center beam lumber flat car GWRC 52850. The failure occurred while the car was traveling on the main line of the Long Island Railroad. One of the vertical load divider beams detached (broke away) at its base from the main car body and came to rest on a Long Island Railroad passenger station platform (See Figure 1). This incident occurred on August 31, 2005, and resulted in no injuries. A post accident analysis of the weld attachment of the vertical load divider beam revealed poor and insufficient weld of the vertical load divider beams at time of original car construction. The involved car is one of five (5) center beam lumber flat cars owned by the Georgia Woodlands Railroad Company. As a result of this incident, Georgia Woodlands Railroad Company had the vertical load divider beams on all five of its cars re-welded and reinforced with support gussets to prevent the dividers from breaking in the area of the original weld. FRA has reviewed ownership records of 52-foot, 8-inch, center beam flat cars and recommends that the 579 cars, identified below, receive an inspection and repair, if necessary, of the welded attachment of the vertical load dividers to prevent a potential catastrophic event. The following cars have been identified as having the potential for weld failures: mstockstill on PROD1PC68 with NOTICES Car type Car numbers AAR car type GRL, lbs. 52′–8″ C-Beam Flat ............................................... 52′–8″ C-Beam Flat ............................................... 52′–8″ C-Beam Flat ............................................... BCOL 52100–52454 .............................................. BCOL 52650–52801 .............................................. BCOL 52802–52900 .............................................. F–281 ....... F–281 ....... F–281 ....... 220 k ........ 220 k ........ 220 k ........ VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:46 May 03, 2006 Jkt 208001 PO 00000 Frm 00085 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\04MYN1.SGM 04MYN1 Number of cars 347 141 91 26404 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 86 / Thursday, May 4, 2006 / Notices Recommended Action: In recognition of the need to assure safety, FRA recommends that railroads and car owners carefully inspect the welded attachment of the vertical load divider on center beam lumber flat cars. The best inspection of the welded attachment would include the use of a dye penetrant type procedure to thoroughly detect weld cracks. FRA further recommends that cars found with poor or defective welds be repaired by using new welds and gussets in accordance with good quality control shop practices. Car owners are encouraged to voluntarily take action to inspect and repair any center beam lumber flat cars that may be equipped with welded vertical load dividers. Failure of car owners to voluntarily take action consistent with the above recommendations may result in FRA pursuing other corrective measures to enforce public safety under its rail safety authority. FRA may modify Safety Advisory 2006–03, issue additional safety advisories, or take other appropriate action necessary to ensure the highest level of safety on the nation’s railroads. Issued in Washington, DC on April 27, 2006. Jo Strang, Associate Administrator for Safety. BILLING CODE 4910–06–P [FR Doc. 06–4173 Filed 5–3–06; 8:45 am] VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:45 May 03, 2006 Jkt 208001 PO 00000 Frm 00086 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\04MYN1.SGM 04MYN1 EN04MY06.000</GPH> mstockstill on PROD1PC68 with NOTICES BILLING CODE 4910–06–C

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 86 (Thursday, May 4, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26403-26404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-4173]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

Safety Advisory 2006-03

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of Safety Advisory; Vertical Load Dividers.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: FRA is issuing Safety Advisory 2006-03, in order to provide
interested parties information related to the potential failure of the
welded attachment of vertical load dividers on certain center beam
lumber flat cars. The welded attachment of the vertical load dividers
on these cars can break away from the car body structure. The vertical
load dividers are hollow square tubular steel beams approximately eight
(8) feet in height that are welded to the car body structure. The
vertical beams serve as load dividers for packaged lumber products.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronald Newman, Staff Director, Motive
Power and Equipment Division (RRS-14), FRA Office of Safety Assurance
and Compliance, 1120 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20590,
telephone: (202) 493-6241 or Thomas Herrmann, Deputy Assistant Chief
Counsel, FRA Office of Chief Counsel, 1120 Vermont Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20590, telephone: (202) 493-6036.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FRA was recently made aware of the weld
failure of a vertical load divider on center beam lumber flat car GWRC
52850. The failure occurred while the car was traveling on the main
line of the Long Island Railroad. One of the vertical load divider
beams detached (broke away) at its base from the main car body and came
to rest on a Long Island Railroad passenger station platform (See
Figure 1). This incident occurred on August 31, 2005, and resulted in
no injuries. A post accident analysis of the weld attachment of the
vertical load divider beam revealed poor and insufficient weld of the
vertical load divider beams at time of original car construction. The
involved car is one of five (5) center beam lumber flat cars owned by
the Georgia Woodlands Railroad Company. As a result of this incident,
Georgia Woodlands Railroad Company had the vertical load divider beams
on all five of its cars re-welded and reinforced with support gussets
to prevent the dividers from breaking in the area of the original weld.
FRA has reviewed ownership records of 52-foot, 8-inch, center beam
flat cars and recommends that the 579 cars, identified below, receive
an inspection and repair, if necessary, of the welded attachment of the
vertical load dividers to prevent a potential catastrophic event. The
following cars have been identified as having the potential for weld
failures:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of
Car type Car numbers AAR car type GRL, lbs. cars
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
52'-8'' C-Beam Flat............... BCOL 52100-52454..... F-281.............. 220 k.............. 347
52'-8'' C-Beam Flat............... BCOL 52650-52801..... F-281.............. 220 k.............. 141
52'-8'' C-Beam Flat............... BCOL 52802-52900..... F-281.............. 220 k.............. 91
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 26404]]

Recommended Action: In recognition of the need to assure safety,
FRA recommends that railroads and car owners carefully inspect the
welded attachment of the vertical load divider on center beam lumber
flat cars. The best inspection of the welded attachment would include
the use of a dye penetrant type procedure to thoroughly detect weld
cracks. FRA further recommends that cars found with poor or defective
welds be repaired by using new welds and gussets in accordance with
good quality control shop practices.
Car owners are encouraged to voluntarily take action to inspect and
repair any center beam lumber flat cars that may be equipped with
welded vertical load dividers. Failure of car owners to voluntarily
take action consistent with the above recommendations may result in FRA
pursuing other corrective measures to enforce public safety under its
rail safety authority. FRA may modify Safety Advisory 2006-03, issue
additional safety advisories, or take other appropriate action
necessary to ensure the highest level of safety on the nation's
railroads.

Issued in Washington, DC on April 27, 2006.
Jo Strang,
Associate Administrator for Safety.
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN04MY06.000

[FR Doc. 06-4173 Filed 5-3-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-C

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