Appendix C to Part 215 - FRA Freight Car Standards Defect Code
49:4.1.1.1.10.6.11.1.12 : Appendix C
Appendix C to Part 215 - FRA Freight Car Standards Defect Code
The following defect code has been established for use by FRA
and State inspectors to report defects observed during inspection
of freight cars. The purpose of the code is to establish a uniform
language among FRA, States, and the railroad industry that will
facilitate communication, recordkeeping, and statistical analyses.
The code may not be substituted for the description of defects on
bad order tags affixed to cars being moved for repair under §
215.9. However, it may be used to supplement that description.
Index General 215.009 Improper Movement of Defective Cars. 215.011
Designation of Qualified Persons. 215.013 Failure to Perform a
Pre-departure Inspection. 215.015 Failure to Complete Initial
Periodic Inspection as Required. Freight Car Components Suspension
System 215.103 Defective Wheel. 215.105 Defective Axle. 215.107
Defective Plain Bearing Box: General. 215.109 Defective Plain
Bearing Box: Journal Lubrication System. 215.111 Defective Plain
Bearing. 215.113 Defective Plain Bearing Wedge. 215.115 Defective
Roller Bearing. 215.117 Defective Roller Bearing Adapter. 215.119
Defective Freight Car Truck. Car Bodies 215.121 Defective Car Body.
Draft System 215.123 Defective Couplers. 215.125 Defective
Uncoupling Device. 215.127 Defective Draft Arrangement. 215.129
Defective Cushioning Device. Restricted Equipment 215.203
Restricted Cars. Stenciling 215.301 Improper Stenciling. 215.303
Improper Stenciling of Restricted Cars. 215.305 Improper Stenciling
of Maintenance-of-Way Equipment. Description of Defects 215.009
Failure to meet conditions for movement of defective cars for
repairs. 215.011 Designation of Qualified Persons. (A)(1) Railroad
fails to designate persons qualified to inspect freight cars; (2)
Persons designated does not have knowledge and ability to inspect
freight cars for compliance with the requirements of this part. (B)
Railroad fails to maintain written record of: (1) Each designation
in effect; (2) The basis for this designation. 215.013 Failure to
perform pre-departure inspection. 215.015 Periodic Inspection. (A)
Railroad fails to perform the periodic inspection as required by
June 30, 1980 on: (1) High utilization car built prior to December
31, 1977; (2) Non-high utilization car built prior to December 31,
1971; (B) A freight car improperly stenciled for periodic
inspection. 215.103 Defective Wheel. (A)(1) Flanges 7/8″ or less at
3/8″ above the tread; (2) Flanges 13/16″ or less at 3/8″ above the
tread; (3) Flanges 3/4″ or less at 3/8″ above the tread; (B)(1)
Flange is 1 1/2″ or more from the tread to top of flange; (2)
Flange is 1 5/8″ or more from the tread to top of flange; (3)
Flange is 1 3/4″. (C)(1) Rim thickness is 11/16″ or less; (2) Rim
thickness is 5/8″ or less; (3) Rim thickness is 9/16″ or less; (D)
Wheel cracked or broken in: (1) rim, (2) flange, (3) plate or (4)
hub area. (E) Wheel chip or gouge in flange: (1) 1 1/2″ length and
1/2″ in width or more; (2) 1 5/8″ length and 5/8″ in width or more;
(3) 1 3/4″ in length and 3/4″ in width or more. (F) Wheel has slid
flat spot or shelled spot: (1) 2 1/2″ in length or more; (2) Has
two adjoining flat spots each of which is 2″ in length or greater;
(3) A single flat spot 3″ in length or more; (4) Has two adjoining
flat spots one of which is at least 2″ in length and the other is 2
1/2″ or greater. (G) Has a loose wheel. (H) Overheated with
discoloration extending: (1) More than 4″; (2) 4 1/2″ or more. (I)
A welded wheel on car that is not moving for repairs. 215.105
Defective Axle. (A) Cracked or broken: (1) Cracked 1′ or less; (2)
Cracked greater than 1″; (3) Broken or cracked with visible
separation of metal. (B) Gouge between wheel seats more than 1/8″
in depth: (C) Broken or cracked end collar on plain bearing axle.
(D) Overheated journal. (E) Surface of plain bearing journal or
fillet has (1) ridge, (2) depression, (3) circumferential score,
(4) corrugation, (5) scratch, (6) continuous streak, (7) pitting,
(8) rust, (9) etching. 215.107 Defective plain bearing box. (A) (1)
Does not contain visible free oil; (2) A journal box with dry pad.
(B) Lid is missing, broken or open except to receive service. (C)
Box has foreign matter that will damage bearing or prevent
lubrication. 215.109 Defective plain bearing box: journal
lubrication system. (A) Pad torn half the length or width. (B)
Scorched, burned or glazed. (C) Contains decaying or deteriorated
fabric. (D) Has exposed core except by design of metal parts in
contact with journal. (E)(1) Missing; (2) Not in contact with
journal. 215.111 Defective plain bearing. (A) Missing, cracked or
broken. (B)(1) Bearing lining is loose; (2) Broken out piece. (C)
Overheated as evidenced by: (1) Melted babbit; (2) Smoke from hot
oil; (3) Journal surface damaged. 215.113 Defective plain bearing
wedge. (A) Missing. (B) Cracked. (C) Broken. (D) Not located in
design position. 215.115 Defective roller bearing. (A)(1)
Overheated; (2) Loose or missing cap screw; (3) Roller bearing seal
loose or damaged permitting loss of lubricant; (4) Two or more
missing cap screws. (B)(1) Failure to inspect if involved in
derailment; (2) Failure to disassemble if required under this part;
(3) Failure to repair or replace defective roller bearings. 215.117
Defective roller bearing adapter. (A) Cracked or broken. (B) Not in
design position. (C) Worn excessively as shown on Figure 1 in
relief portion. 215.119 Defective freight car trucks. (A)(1) Side
frame or bolster broken; (2) Cracked 1/4″ or more in transverse
direction on tension member; (3) Cracked 1″ or more in transverse
direction on tension member. (B) Has ineffective snubbing devices.
(C)(1) Missing or broken side bearing; (2) Side bearing in contact
except by design; (3) Excessive side bearing clearance at one end
of car; (4) Excessive side bearing clearance on opposite sides at
diagonal ends of car. (D)(1) Has truck springs that will not
maintain travel or load; (2) Truck springs that are compressed
solid; (3) Has two springs broken in a cluster; (4) Has three or
more springs broken. (E) Truck bolster and center plate
interference preventing rotation. (F) Has broken beam shelf
supports worn so that shelf will not support beam. 215.121
Defective car body. (A) Improper clearance - less than 2 1/2″ from
top of rail. (B) Center sill is: (1) Broken; (2) Cracked more than
6″; (3) Bent or buckled more than 2 1/2″ in any 6-foot length. (C)
Coupler carrier is: (1) Broken; (2) Missing; (3) Non-resilient when
used with coupler with F head. (D) Car door not equipped with
operative safety hangers. (E) If center plate: (1) Any portion
missing; (2) Broken or cracked as defined in this part. (F) Broken
side sills, crossbars or body bolster. 215.123 Defective couplers.
(A) Coupler shank bent. (B) Coupler cracked in highly stressed area
of head and shank. (C) Coupler knuckle broken. (D) Coupler knuckle
pin or knuckle throw: (1) Missing; (2) Inoperative. (E) Coupler
retainer pin lock: (1) Missing; (2) Broken. (F)(1) Coupler locklift
is inoperative; (2) No anti-creep protection; (3) Coupler lock is
(i) missing, (ii) inoperative, (iii) bent, (iv) cracked or (v)
broken. 215.125 Defective uncoupling device. (A) Fouling on curve.
(B) Unintentional uncoupling. 215.127 Defective draft arrangement.
(A) Draft gear inoperative. (B) Broken yoke. (C) End of car
cushioning unit: (1) Leaking; (2) Inoperative. (D) Vertical coupler
pin retainer plate: (1) Missing; (2) Has missing fastener. (E)
Draft key or key retainer: (1) Inoperative; (2) Missing. (F)
Follower plate missing or broken. 215.129 Defective cushioning
device unless effectively immobilized. (A) Broken. (B) Inoperative.
(C) Missing parts. 215.203 Operating a restricted car, except under
conditions approved by FRA. Stenciling 215.301 Failure to stencil
car number and built date on freight car as required. 215.303
Failure to stencil restricted car as required. 215.305 Failure to
stencil maintenance-of-way equipment as required.