NRC MANUAL OF RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE STANDARDS AND PRACTICES FOR PRIVATELY OWNED AND MAINTAINED INDUSTRIAL TRACKS TABLE OF CONTENTS aA EE CONTENTS CLASSIFICATION OF INDUSTRIAL TRACK: MINIMUM TRACK STANDARDS... > > OZEP ATO ROMHONS Copyright 1993NRC Manual of Recommended Maintenance Standards and Practices for Privately Owned and Maintained Industrial Tracks LC INTRODUCTION This manual is intended to give owners of Privately owned and maintained industrial trackage some assistance in determining how to maintain such trackage. The guidelines contained herein apply only to trackage which is located inside an industrial installation and therefore not part of the general railroad system of transportation. It must be stressed that these are general guidelines and may not be applicable jo all coecs. Some states have Cumers are urged to consult with a knowledgeable engineer or contractor member of the NRC for further guidance as to the specific requirements of the operating railroad. Owners should also keep in mind that trackage sh standards. Teis thelGtote tipo whe Back Winiate to a somewhat higher standard. This will eliminate the therefore more costly repairs. Ss NRC makes fo, atts express, or, implied, that, this slonended track specifications handbook will serve a track owner's Specific needs. NRC has made every attempt to determine that these recommended track specifications are accurate and complete. However, we make no warranties as such. NRC, its members or employees shall not be liable for any damages or claims that a track owner may incur by reliance on these specifications, Individual requirements for an industrial track project can be different from the information contained in this handbook. No standard specification can be expected to ft crery situation, Therefore, this handbook should not be used verbatim. NRC strongly encourages industrial track owners to seek advice of a competent railroad trek, construction engineering firm to develop their final specifications. In addition an industrial track project may be of such simplicity that a railroad contractor could also assist the owner in developing final specifications. ZFrom time to time, these specifications may be modified. It is the responsibility of the railroad track owner to communicate with NRC, to determine whether any item in this * andbook is still valid. L Page 2NRC Manual of Recommended Maintenance Standards and Practices for Privately Owned and Maintained Industrial Tracks See nSustrial Tracks LY INSPECTION The trackage should be inspected by someone familiar with these standards as often as Practicable, but not less than twice each year. In areas of the country subject to cycles of freezing and thawing, it is recommended that these inspections take Place before the winter season starts and after it ends. Actual track conditions and usage of the tracks should dictate the frequency of inspections. Obviously Class A tracks need to be inspected more frequently then Class o tracks which see only very light use. Turnouts, track crossings, and tracks handling hazardous or flammable materials should be inspected at least monthly. SSIFICATION OF INDUS: TRACK: CE NDAIRIAL Teac CLASS A: Iridustrial Mz & Heads and Loop Tracks over which Unit trains and mixed consist freight train operate at Sppseean 0 25.MPH : 5 Ss Cz : CrAss B: Yard Lead’ Trade, Loading, Unlogding andi Storage Tracks over which € restricted“to 1 train speéds* MPH"or lesi-" In these specifications a distinction4s"iade between tracks which receive "Heavy Use" and those scoiving Use". Heavy use refers to tracks whith handle frequent eae Ligh ne flag teas which receive infrequent use and light loads. MINIMUM TRACK STANDARDS A. TRACK GAUGE US. standard track gauge is 4’-8 1/2", Gauge is measured between the heads of the rails at right angles to the rails in a plane 5/8" below the top of the rail head. When checking gauge it is important to observe if any movement of the tie plates relative to the crosstie is occurring, Any such movement should be added to the measured gauge distance. ~~-Vhen gauge is not within the following limits, track must be regauged to standard gauge plus or minus 1/4". Page 3NRC Manual of Recommended Maintenance Standards and Practices for Privately Owned and Maintained Industrial Tracks Min. Gauge lax. Gar Class A Track 56" 57 1/2" Class B Track 56" 573/4" B. TRACK ALIGNMENT Alignment may not deviate from uniformity more than the amount shown: Class A Track - 11/2" Class B Track - 3° Deviation is measured at mid-offset from a line or chord 62' long. Ends of the line or chord must be at gauge. On curves use the outer rail for measurement. When corrections to alignment are made, deviation from uniformity shall not be more than 1/2". CURVE ELEVATION On industrial track very little superelevation is required. If it is desired to elevate the outside rail on a curve the elevation shoul 01 never be lower than the inside rally : 4 Corrections to track surface need to be made if: Class A Class B Deviation from zero cross level at any point on tangent or from designated elevation on curves exceeds 11/4" 2" Difference in cross level between any two points less than 62 feet apart on tangents and curves between spirals is more than aya" 2" Runoff in any 31 ft. of rail at the end of a raise is more than 11/2" 2" When surface corrections are made, the deviation, difference or runoff should be no “~~ more than 1/2" for either class of track. PagesNRC Manual of Recommended Maintenance Standards and Practices for Privately Owned and Maintained Industrial Tracks ~E. ROADWAY AND BALLAST Roadway and trainmen’s walkways must be kept clear of vegetation which will interfere with track inspection, cause locomotive wheel slippage, block drainage ditches, create a walking hazard around switches, or interfere with visibility of signals, deraile switch targets or signs. All drainage facilities must be kept free of obstructions to accommodate expected water flow. Ballast must be kept clean so that it will provide adequate drainage and maintain Proper track level, surface and alignment. Fouled ballast also traps moisture which causes premature tie deterioration. F. CROSSTIES 1. Each 39 ft. of track’shall have the following:minimuin ntitber of sotund cross ties, which in combination provide efféctive support. : ‘ i i . : B. Split or other red to the extent the crossties will allow ballast to work te rawill not hold spikes or fasteners. 3 C. So detériorated that the tie-plate'or base“ of raik can move'laterally more than 1/2" relative to the crosstie. D. Cut by the tie plate more than 1 inch. 2. Each rail joint shall be supported by at least one sound crosstie whose centerline is within 18” of the center of joint. 3, At least every third tie must be a sound tie. 4. When crosstie replacements are made, the following minimum recommended tie spacings should be maintained, Class A Track, Class B Tracks leavy Use Tangent track 21" center 22" centers 24” centers Curved track 19-1/2" centers 21" centers 22" centers Page 5.L NRC Manua] of Recommended Maintenance Standards and Practices for Privately Owned and Maintained Industrial Tracks G, RAIL Broken, defective or damaged rails shall be replaced immediately. Defective rails include rails having fisgures, fractures, split head or webs, bolt hole cracks, etc. Damaged rails are rails broken or injured by wrecks, broken, flat or unbalanced wheels, slipping or similar causes. H. RAIL END MISMATCH Mismatch of rail joints, either at the tread of the rail ends or along the gauge side, must not be more than 3/16". L RAILJOINTS Joint bars cracked or broken through the middle two bolt holes must be replaced. Each joint must have at leastsfwo bolts in each rail end. eat Get oe J. TIE PLATES All tes should be fully slate s : K. TURNOUTS AND: 3 All fastenings must be maintained to keep components securely in place. Also each switch, frog, crossing, and guard rail must be kept free of obstruction that may interfere ‘with the passage of wheels. Flangeways must be at least 11/2" wide. L, SWITCHES Stock rails must be securely and properly seated in switch plates. Each switch point must fit its stock rail properly. Excessively worn stock rails can cause damage to switch points and must be replaced. Outer edge of wheel tread must not contact gauge side of stock rail. Cotter pins must be installed in all drilled bolts. Heel block bolts must be tight. Page 6NRC Manual of Recommended Maintenance Standards and Practices for Privately Owned and Maintained Industrial Tracks ~ __ Switch stand and connecting rod must be securely fastened to assure proper switch Point fit and must be operable without excessive lost motion, Throw lever must be maintained so that it cannot be operated with the lock or keeper in place. Switch position indicator must be clearly visible at all times. Badly chipped or worn switch points must be repaired or replaced. Metal flow must be removed by gtinding to insure proper closure. Switch points must be kept free of debris and must be lubricated on a regular basis. Switch Point Protectors and Switch Point Guards must be properly secured and maintained. Excessive wear on switch point protectors cai Protectors must be furiet OF replecas™” ==" : & Metal flow on sivitch point guards must be removed by grinding to ensure proper opaingon on ch ong : : 4 M. FROGS The flangeway depth: must not be less than 1g ma ae Frog points chipped, broken or worn down more than 5/8" down and six inches back, must be repaired or frog must be replaced. If tread portion of a frog casting is worn down more than 3/8” below the original contour, frog must be welded or replaced. On Self Guarded frogs the raised guards cannot be worn more than 3/8". If repairs are made the guarding face must be restored before rebuilding the point. Page?NRC Manual of Recommended Maintenance Standards and Practices for Privately Owned and Maintained Industrial Tracks — a ——= “~“N. FROG GUARD RAILS Worn guard rails must be replaced to prevent excessive wear on frog points. The Guard Check Gage must not be less than 4'-6 3/8". The Guard Face Gay be more than 4'-5 1/8”. nee 6286 Must nok When in locked position derail must not be able to be moved mij removing the or a 2 hil & eT Derail block must not be cracked and mist be Bush ccs apo ns intained as switches - see item L. | P, GRADE CROSSINGS Flangeways must be kept clean and free from obstructions. Holddown devices (drive spikes) must be kept level with the crossing surface to eliminate tire damage. Defective holddowns are to be replaced. Loose timbers, crossing panels, flange rails, etc. are to be respiked or replaced if defective. Q. END-OF-TRACK DEVICES All end-of -track devices, such as bumping posts, wheel stops, wheel skids, earth bumpers, ete., must be checked for damage. It is extremely important to have sound ties, \_ rail and clean ballast under the portion of track supporting the bumping post or wheel stop. Page 8NRC Manual of Recommended Maintenance Standards and Practices for Privately Owned and Maintained Industrial Tracks MATERIAL TO. BE USED Whenever repairs are to be made to existing tracks, it is important to use the same weight of rail and the same type of track material found in the track. Mixing rail weights causes additional problems and increases cost of future maintenance. If the rail in track is very light or a very scarce section, it is recommended that a portion of the track be relaid with heavier and more readily available material. The material released can then be used for spot repairs. If tracks or turnouts are to be relaid, the following weights and grades of rail should be used. A.RAIL Class A Track (Class B Track Class B Track Heavy Use Light Use 112#-140No.1 ‘112% - 140 No. 2 1128 - 1408 No.3 Sf oO OF Nos beer 90R=T1ORNO,2 Note: Tumouts should alwaysibi constructed with New or No. 1 Relay Rail. * - Use of rail lighter than 90#-24il, should be restricted to tracks used for ‘of empty or light cars only. , GRADEI 2 1224 or over os TESTE AIS EONES Very minor engine 122-1194 3/6 vie ‘bums & minor 100-1108 vs 16 corrugation. Max. 908 & Lighter us us v6 1/8"lip on one side with a max. of 3/16" for both sides. GRADED. 122 or over v4 38 8 Small engine burns 112-1198 V4 3/8 U8 and corrugations 100-1108 316 4 77) permitted. Max. 90H or under 3/16 3/16 v8 3/16" lip on one side with ‘max, of 1/4" for both sides. Rails shall be standard length, or cropped and redrilled, with shorts not exceeding 10% of the total. Minimum lengths to be furnished shall be 27 feet. Measurement of rail height shall be taken 18° from end of rail. Welds (field or plant) in rail must be not less than three (3) feet from ends of rail. Page 9NRC Manual of Recommended Maintenance Standards and Practices for Privately Owned and Maintained Industrial Tracks mately s a ~ B. CROSSTIES The following grades of ties are recommended for each class of track: Class A Tracks Class B. Tracks Class B Tracks Heavy Use Heavy Use ‘Light Use 7" Grade 7 Grade 6" Grade 6" Grade Ind. Grade 7” Ind. Grade 7” Ind. Grade 6” Relay 6" or 7" 7” Grade ties and 6" Grade ties are those meeting the specifications of the AREA and the Railway Tie Assocation (RTA). Specifications for Industrial Grade ties and relay tes How. than 10" from end of tie is should be applied selectively. cannot appear on more than one face lowed - fire scar, sound worm holes, sound knots, loose knots, splinter -1/2" diameter and unsound wobd that does not affect a DESC) Treatment of Industrial Grade Ties shall be the same as for RTA Grade ties and is described under the treatment heading following. ‘Treatment of Ties ‘Prior to treatment the ties shall be conditioned by means of air seasoning, kiln drying, boulton drying, or vapor drying. Ties shall be treated by an empty-cell process by use of initial air to control retention whenever Practical to obtain as deep and uniform a penetration as possible, with the amount of preservative stipulated, fr ties shall be treated by the full-cell process by use of initial vacuum when maximum net retention is desired, ‘The range of pressure, temperature, and time duration shall be controlled so as to obtain maximum penetration \& with the quality of preservative injected. Preservative used for this treatment shall be creosote, creosote/coal tar solution or creosote/petroleum and shall be injected into the ties for a net retention of 6 to 9 Tbs pf (AWPA) or refusal. Ref. AREA 3-1-1 to 31-16; 3-5-1 to 3-5-12 Page 10NRC Manual of Recommended Maintenance Standards and Practices for Privately Owned and Maintained Industrial Tracks ~~ C. SWITCH TIES Switch ties must be new 7" x 9" Grade 5 ties and meet the AREA/RTA specifications, ‘Treatment is to be as specified for crossties. Ref. AREA 3-2-1 to 3-2-4 ‘D. RELAY TIES Relay ties must be free from defects that might impair their strength or durability as cross ties. “All spike holes must be plugged, Tie plate cutting should not exceed 1/4" in’ the tie plate bearing area, E. TIE PLATES Tie Plates may be new or good quality relay plates and are to match the rail section used. Use of double shoulder plates is preferred on Class A track as well as on curves over 6 degrees on Class Battack Where’ fail Witht @'5°1/2” OF latger Wage" s"iis6a, Tie plates should not be wider than the width of ties used. Ref. AREA 5-1-1 to5-1-22 4 raat “~ F, JOINT BARS a 8 4 hole or 6 hole of the same desigr{ as the rail section 2 Joint/Angle Bars ma re “ new rail, and secondhand bars in good condition may used. New bars are to be used with relay rail. Ref. AREA 4-1-6.2 toras4-15; 4209 S2eYA E5522 esses een iat G. COMPROMISE JOINTS Compromise joints may be either new or secondhand in good condition. Only joints manufactured to fit the rail sections used are acceptable. Use of homemade joints shall not be permitted. See AREA specs for Joint Bars. H, INSULATED JOINTS Insulated Joints shall be new, fully-insulated, conform to the rail size used, and meet latest AAR Signal Section specification. Relay joints with new insulation may be used. Use of homemade insulated joints shall not be permitted. See AREA specs for Joint Bars Page 11NRC Manual of Recommended Maintenance Standards and Practices for Privately Owned and Maintained Industrial Tracks “~ 1 BOLTS AND LOCKWASHERS Bolts shall be of sufficient length to take the washer and full thread of the nut. Lockwasher shall be new and of a size to fit the bolts used. Ref. AREA 4-1-16 to 4-1-19; 4-2-15 to 4-2-18; 4-2-19 to 4-2-21 J. TRACK SPIKES Rail hold down spikes shall be new 5/8” x 6" for track constructed with 100# and heavier rail. Spikes that are 9/16" x 5 1/2" may be used with lighter weight rails. Ref, AREA. 5-2-1 to 5-2-6 K. RAIL ANCHORS Rail anchors may be spring or drive-on type. New, reconditioned or proper fitting relay anchors may be ee White Wed “With Yélay Trait” TRE RRSTONT ETE ced to fit the base of the rail. Ref. AREA a 5-5-18; 5-72 ge easiness L. GAUGE RODS | 2 sa Gauge Rods mnby be quality relay and may be single grip or double grip. Insulated rods must be rack is bonded or signaled. 7 amsanernasn M. TURNOUTS All turnout material shall be either new or secondhand in good condition and of a size, weight of rail and section to conform to the rail used in the track. 1. Switch Points Switch points in Class A track are to be double reinforced. In Class B track, single reinforced points may be used. It is recommended that heel blocks be installed on all switches. 2. Frogs In Class A tracks use of railbound manganese frogs is recommended. Solid Manganese Self Guarded frogs shall not be used in these tracks unless approved by the operating railroad. In Class B tracks either railbound manganese, solid manganese, solid manganese self guarded, or bolted rigid frogs may be used. Page 12NRC Manual of Recommended Maintenance Standards and Practices for Privately Owned and Maintained Industrial Tracks Spring Rail Frogs are not to be used in industrial trackage. 3. Guard Rails Guard rails are to be installed opposite all frogs except for solid manganese self guarded frogs. 4. Switch Stands Switch stands may be either high or low stands as specified by the operating railroad. All stands must have mast and reflectorized target. N. BUMPING POSTS AND WHEEL STOPS ‘Specific type of post or stop to be approved by operating railroad. op co fore scr senr scammer i i ding style wit inged it itch poi: Page 13