Rail Defects

Question 1

Compound Fissure Requirements (1-69%)

Answer 1

1-69% – 10MPH and remove from service after 30 days

Question 2

Transverse Fissure, Detail Fracture, Engine Burn Fracture, Bond Wire Rail Head Fracture or Defective Weld (1-59%)

Answer 2

Apply joint bars bolted through outermost holes within 7 days:
Before Bars: Limit operating speed not to exceed 10
MPH (remove from service after 7 days)
After Bars: Limit operating speed to 50 MPH

Question 3

Transverse Fissure, Detail Fracture, Engine Burn Fracture, Bond Wire Rail Head Fracture or Defective Weld (60-100%)

Answer 3

Apply joint bars bolted according to 213.121 D and E

Before Bars: Visually supervise by qualified person
After Bars: Limit operating speed to 50 MPH

Question 4

Compound Fissure Requirements (70-100%)

Answer 4

Qualified person visually supervises each operations over defective rail.

Question 5

Ordinary Break

Answer 5

Apply joint bars bolted according to 213.121 D and E
Before Bars: Qualified person visually supervises movement
After Bars: No restriction required

Question 6

Horizontal/Vertical Split Head, Split Web, Bond Wire Split Web, Piped Rail or Head/Web Separation (0”-2”)

Answer 6

Limit operating speed to 50 MPH –> After 30 days limit operating speed not to exceed 10 MPH

Question 7

Horizontal/Vertical Split Head, Split Web, Bond Wire Split Web, Piped Rail or Head/Web Separation (>2”-4”)

Answer 7

Limit operating speed to 30 MPH –> After 30 days limit operating speed not to exceed 10 MPH

Question 8

Horizontal/Vertical Split Head, Split Web, Bond Wire Split Web, Piped Rail or Head/Web Separation (>4”)

Answer 8

Limit operating speed to 10 MPH –> After 30 days remove from service

Question 9

Horizontal/Vertical Split Head, Split Web, Bond Wire Split Web, Piped Rail or Head/Web Separation (Breakout in rail head)

Answer 9

Visually supervise movement of each operation over defective rail.

Question 10

Bolt Hole Crack or Weld Web Split (Within Joint Bars) (0-1.5”)

Answer 10

Limit operating speed to 50 MPH and drop to 10 MPH after 30 days.

Question 11

Bolt Hole Crack or Weld Web Split (Within Joint Bars) (>1.5”)

Answer 11

Limit operating speed to 10 MPH until replaced.

Question 12

Bolt Hole Crack or Weld Web Split (Without Joint Bars) (0-1.5”)

Answer 12

Before Bars: Limit operating speed to 10 MPH and remove after 30 days.
After Bars: Limit operating speed to 50 MPH and drop to 10 MPH after 30 days.

Question 13

Bolt Hole Crack or Weld Web Split (Without Joint Bars) (>1.5”)

Answer 13

Before Bars: Limit operating speed to 10 MPH and remove after 30 days.
After Bars: Limit operating speed to 10 MPH

Question 14

Bolt Hole Crack or Weld Web Split (Breakout in Rail Head)

Answer 14

Qualified person visually supervises each operation over defective rail.

Question 15

Broken Base (0”-6”)

Answer 15

Within 7 days apply joint bars

and

Before bars: Limit operating speed to 30 MPH, drop to 10 MPH if joint bars not applied within 7 days

After Bars: Limit operating speed to 50 MPH, after 50 MGT limit operating speed to 40 MPH (not less than 180 days)

Question 16

Broken Base (>6”)

Answer 16

Apply joint bars

Before Bars: Qualified person visually supervises trains over location

After Bars: limit operating speed to 30 MPH

**When base break is moon shaped, resulting from a derailment, with a length of 6” but not exceeding 12” and width not exceeding 1/3 of the rail base width:

Before Bars: Limit operating speed to 30 MPH, drop to 10 if not barred within 7 days.

After Bars: Limit to 50 MPH and drop to 40 MPH after 50 MGT (no less than 180 days)

Question 17

Damaged Rail

Answer 17

Apply bars within 7 days to outermost holes

Before Bars: Limit speed to 30 MPH and drop to 10 MPH if bars aren’t applied

After Bars: Limit speed to 50 MPH and drop to 40 MPH after 50 MGT (not less than 180 days)

Question 18

Flattened Rail (Crushed Head)

Answer 18

Depth 3/8” and Length > 8” or deformation under rail head

Until rail is replaced or valid test conducted and marked “VT”

• Limit operating speed to 50 MPH
• After 15 MGT (but not less than 30 days) limit operating speed not to exceed 25 mph

**Within dead zone, turnouts, or crossovers: within 5 days have an FRA-qualified exempt maintenance officer visually inspect the rail and further limit operating speed if judged necessary

Question 19

SSC (Shelled / Spalled / Corrugated

Answer 19

Replace rail or correct condition (grinding) and conduct a valid search for internal defects marking “VT”

-Within Dead Zone
- after 30 days limit operating speed to 50 MPH
- After 15 MGT (but not less than 30 days) limit
operating speed to 25 MPH

-All SSC’s, after 15 MGT (but not less than 30 days) limit speed to 25 MPH

**Within dead zone, turnouts, or crossovers: within 5 days have an FRA-qualified exempt maintenance officer visually inspect the rail and further limit operating speed if judged necessary

Question 20

Cracked or Broken Joint Bar (Center cracked)

Answer 20

Both joint bars at joint quarter cracked

• Replace bar
• Until replaced, limit operating speed to 10 MPH for a period not exceeding 30 days
• Repot 213.9(b) qualifying defect in EAM
• If bar not replaced within 30 days, remove from service

Question 21

Cracked or Broken Joint Bar (Single quarter cracked)

Answer 21

Limit operating speed to 25 MPH freight, 30 MPH passenger