No. SV. FIAT Spring Date: 01.12.

2022

Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer,

1. Northern Railway, Baroda House, New Delhi - 110 001
2. Western Railway, Churchgate, Mumbai – 400020
3. Central Railway, CSTM, Mumbai - 400 001.
4.Eastern Railway, Fairly Place, Kolkata- 700 001
5.Southern Railway, Park Town, Chennai – 600 003.
6.North Frontier Railway, Maligaon, Guwahati – 781 001.
7.North Eastern Railway, Gorakhpur -273 001.
8.South Eastern Railway,
Garden Reach, Kolkata – 700 043.
9.South Central Railway, Secunderabad – 500 071.
10.West Central Railway, Jabalpur-482 001.
11. South East Central Railway, Bilaspur - 495 004.
12. South Western Railway, Hubli - 580023.
13. East Coast Railway, Railway Complex,
Bhubaneshwar - 751 023.
14. East Central Railway, Hajipur - 844 101.
15. North Western Railway, Jaipur - 302 006.
16. North Central Railway, Allahabad -211 001.
17 . Integral Coach Factory, Chennai – 600 038.
18 . Konkan Railway Corpo. Ltd., Corporate Office,
Belapur Bhawan, Navi Mumbai - 400 614.
19. Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala, Punjab – 144 602.
20. Modern Coach Factory, Raebareli, 229120.

Sub: Failures of Coil Spring in Primary Suspension of LHB Coaches.

Ref: Meeting through video conferencing held on 24-11-2022.

1. During meeting through video conferencing on 24-11-2022, various issues and action plan
for arresting failures of coil springs in primary suspension of LHB coaches were discussed in
detail. It was advised by Railway Board to issue standardized format to Zonal Railways for
analysis of coil spring failures by Zonal Railways along with standardized format for detailed
investigation of each case of coil spring failure. Accordingly, standardized format for detailed
investigation of each case of coil spring failure in LHB coaches is enclosed as Annexure-I.
Details included in the format are already part of Google sheets circulated for analysis.
Investigation & analysis of each case of primary spring failure in LHB coach may be submitted
as per enclosed format.

2. Clarity regarding action to be taken for changing springs and associated components in case
of coil spring failures were sought by Zonal Railways. In this regard, it is clarified that in case of
coil spring failure in LHB coaches, coil springs & dampers of the wheelset of failed spring are to
be sent to workshop for testing before reuse. Tested coil springs & dampers are to be provided
on wheelset of failed spring.

SHOBHIT Digitally
by SHOBHIT
signed

PRATAP PRATAP SINGH

Date: 2022.12.01
SINGH 20:04:56 +05'30'
DA: As above
(Shobhit Pratap Singh)
Jt. Director/VDG/Carriage
For Director General/Carriage
Email: dirvdg1@gmail.com
 ANNEXURE- “I”

PROFORMA FOR DETAILED INVESTIGATION & REPORTING BROKEN/FAILED

PRIMARY SPRING IN LHB COACH

Coach No. ....,..... Transportation Code………… Train No……………………

Date of Failure……………Primary Depot………………Owning Railway…………..

Production Unit:………….Date of Commissioning: …………Any SS done (Yes/No)

Schedule Particulars…SSI/SSII/SSIII Workshop…….………Date………………….

Detected during Maintenance/En-Route Failure/Workshop (mention name of depot/ section &

territorial railway/workshop) …………………………………………………

Broken Primary Spring (Inner / Outer) ……………..Bogie No……………………….

Secondary Suspension (Air Spring/Coil Spring)………………………………………

A. Failed Spring data:

1. Location of the spring in coach:………………………………………………….
2. Make of the spring………………………………………………………………….
3. Marking. .. . . ………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Manufacturer, Month and Year of Manufacture………………………………….
5. Drawing number/code of failed spring…………………………………………....
6. Failure.
a. Failed Coil No. (from bottom) ………………………………………………….
b. Fatigue / Sudden failure……………………………………………………
c. Pitting/Tool marks at Failure point……………………………………………
d. Condition of Paint / Surface protection…………………………………..

B. Data related to other items at Fitment Location (axle box) of Broken Spring:

SN Description Observation RDSO letter No.

1. Height of top metal primary stop of with remarks,

Bogie frame (242.5 mm/ 227.5 whether complies as
mm) specified in RDSO
letter no.SV. FIAT
2. Thickness of disc/compensating Spring dated
ring between Primary bump stop & 17.03.2022
bottom centering disc (in mm)

3. Drawing & color coding of primary

outer spring
 4. Drawing & color coding of primary
inner spring

5. Indicate condition (cracks/wear/ damage)

a. Centering Disc lower:…………………….......................................................
b. Centering Disc upper:…………………………………………………………………
c. Rubber Pad………………………………………………………………………..
d. Upper Rubber spacer………………………………………………………………………
e. Control Arm Silent Block (Mention make as
well)…………………………………………………………………………………
6. Wheel condition (flat/shelling etc)…………………………………………………………
7. Primary Vertical Damper condition:
a. Make…………………………………………………………………………….
b. Leakage…………………………………………………………………………
c. Deficiency / damages……………………………………………………………..

C. Investigation at other locations of the bogie:

1. Visual: Conditions of other dampers of bogie (OK/Not OK) (If defective, indicate location &
make):
2. Positioning & placement of primary springs as per CMI No. RDSO/2017/CG/CMI-01, issued
in Jan, 2017 (OK / Not OK)…
3. Capacity/color code of Air Spring…….……/Drawings/code of Secondary outer & inner
springs………………………………………………………………………..
4. Condition of Air Suspension System in Secondary stage………………………..
5. Whether Proper coupling of secondary springs:………………………………………
6. Lateral clearance (bolster and cross member):………………………………………..
7. Longitudinal clearance (bolster and cross member): ..........................................

D. Photograph showing failure section of spring & other failed component(s)/deficiencies:

E. Chemical & Metallurgical Investigation Report as received is also to be submitted.

F. Any other relevant information: ...................................................................

Note:

1. Defective components/ Improper clearances noticed have to be replaced / rectified before

giving fitness to the coach. Moreover, Coils springs & dampers of the wheelset of failed
spring are to be sent to workshop for testing before reuse. Tested coil springs &
dampers are to be provided on wheelset of failed spring. Proper condition of bogie
frame, centering discs, Control Arm Silent Blocks, rubber pads & rubber bump stops
and proper positioning of coil springs to be ensured during reassembly.
2. It is advised that where coach sick marking history shows that coach was marked sick earlier
in last 4 months due to bogie related defect or Primary spring breakage, Primary depots may
plan thorough investigation of the coach for its repetitive involvement in sick marking for bogie
defects & submit report of the coach to RDSO.