RULES
for
Inspection of Safety Appliances.
Adopted April i, 1901,
BY THE
INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION.
*
• Revised and Amended January i, 1903.
Amended April i, 1904.
Amended July I, 19Q4.
U-3047
RULES
for
Inspection of Safety Appliances.
Adopted April i, 1901,
BY THE
INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION.
Revised and Amended January i, 1903.
Amended April i, 1904.
Amended July I, IdC-A,
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WASHINGTON:
government printing office.
i904.
Rules for Inspection of Safety Appliances, with
Classification of Defects to be Reported.
RULE 1.
A.
Previous to examining equipment, inspector shall
make himself known to the foreman or other official of
the mechanical department, or, in the absence of that
officer, to the agent or other employee next in authority.
In all cases have name and title of such officer or
employee included in report of inspection. Whenever
practicable, the official found in charge should be
invited to accompany or send a representative with the
inspector, and the person so accompanying the inspector
should have his attention drawn to all defects likely to
endanger life or limb.
RULE 2.
B.
Report location of all curves in yards and sidings on
which M. C B. coupler will not couple or remain
coupled, the practice generally followed where such
curves exist, and whether any special device is em¬
ployed.
(3)
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4
RULE 3.
c.
Section 1. Secure information, when practicable, in
reference to practice of handling brakes on descending
grades. Ascertain whether hand brakes are used, and
to what extent.
Sec. 2. Ascertain what inspection is given to air¬
brake cars leaving terminals, and whether engineers
are informed of exact number of air-brake cars with
effective brakes.
Sec. 3. Observe closely whether air-brake defect cards
are attached or not. These cards are of two kinds:
One designates that the car must not be placed between
air-brake cars at all, on account of certain defects; the
other signifies that the car may be used between air¬
brake cars as a means of continuing the connection, but
that the brake on that particular car is inoperative.
These cards indicate defects which should be repaired
promptly; report if this is done.
Sec. 4. Pay special attention to the making-up of
trains with reference to the placing of air-brake cars in
forward end of train.
Sec. 5. Inspect heavily loaded cars sagging in the
middle for leaky air pipes.
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•«»
0
RULE 4.
D.
Section 1. Special attention should be given to grab
irons on roofs of cars, and when reporting loose grab
irons, state whether secured with lag screws or bolts
and to a substantial part of car frame.
Sec. 2. As loose handholds and grab irons may origi¬
nate in car shops, observe closely new cars and those a
few months out of shop. Report all defects found in
running boards and ladders, whether constructed of
iron or wood.
Sec. 3. Report as to the results of the use of pivotal
couplers on locomotives assigned to switching.
Sec. 4. Note to what extent men have to go between
cars to couple them during the making-up of trains.
Also to what extent men step in to open or close
knuckles by hand. This should be ascertained by
careful observation.
Sec. 5. State whether locomotives are equipped with
M. C. R. type of coupler, noting if on end of tender
only or on tender and front end.
Sec. 6. State fully all particulars of any other than
the M. C. B. type of coupler found on coaches or cars
of all kinds.
Sec. 7. Note on report of defective cars whether your
inspection was made prior to inspection by railway
company's inspector, and, if possible, show disposition
of cars found defective.
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6
DEFECTS OF COUPLERS AND PARTS.
1. Coupler body broken.
2. Knuckle broken.
3. Knuckle pin broken.
4 a. Lock pin broken.
4 b. Lock block broken.
5a. Lock pin bent. (See footnote A)
5 b. Lock block bent. (See footnote A.)
6 a. Lock pin wrong. (See footnote A.)
6b. Lock block wrong. (See footnote A.)
7. Knuckle pin wrong. (See footnote A.)
8a. Lock pin worn. (See footnote B.)
8 b. Lock block worn. (See footnote B.)
9 a. Coupler worn. (As per M.C.B. limit gauge.) (See
footnote B.)
9b. Knuckle worn. (As per M.C.B. limit gauge.) (See
footnote B.)
10. Guard arm short.
11. Coupler, All missing parts of (except cotter pin in
knuckle pin).
12 a. Lock pin inoperative.
12 b. Lock block inoperative.
13. Knuckle pin bent.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
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7
19.
20 — --
FOOTNOTES.
A Nos. 5 a, 5 b, 6 a, 6 b, and 7 are defects only when
interfering with safe operation.
B. Nos. 8 a, 8 b, 9 a, and 9 b are defects only when worn
sufficiently to destroy contour line by allowing lost
motion to approach the danger point as shown by M.
C. B. limit gauge.
DEFECTS TO UNCOUPLING MECHANISM.
21. Uncoupling lever broken.
22. Uncoupling chain broken.
23. End lock, or casting, broken.
23x. End lock, or casting, incorrectly applied.
24. Keeper broken.
24x. Keeper incorrectly applied.
25. Uncoupling lever bent. (See footnote A.)
26. Uncoupling chain too short.
27. Uncoupling chain too long.
28. End lock, or casting, loose. (See footnote B.)
29. Keeper loose. (See footnote B.)
30. End lock, or casting, wrong. (See footnote C.)
31. Keeper wrong. (See footnote C.)
32a. Uncoupling lever incorrectly applied. (See foot¬
note D.)
32b. Uncoupling lever ot wrong diniwiJHUii.b. (See foot¬
note E.)
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8
33 a. Uncoupling lever missing.
33 b. End lock, or casting, missing.
33 c. Keeper missing.
33 d. Uncoupling chain missing.
33 e. Clevis missing.
33 f. Clevis pin missing.
33 g. Angle clip missing.
33 h.
33 i.
33 j. -
33 k
331.
34. Uncoupling chain kinked, -making it too short. ■
35. End lock, or casting, bent.
36. Keeper bent.
37. Clevis broken.
38. Clevis pin broken.
39. Angle clip loose.
40. -
FOOTNOTES.
A. No 25 is a defect when interfering with proper
operation of uncoupling lever, or when making it diffi¬
cult to operate.
B. Nos. 28 and 29 are defects when the proper opera¬
tion of the uncoupling mechanism is interfered with.
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C. Nos. 30 and 31 are defects when interfering with
proper operation of an uncoupling lever in connection
with the coupler for which it was designed.
D. No. 32 a. Under this head report all uncoupling
levers which are too close to car or parts of car. Give
details.
E. No. 32 h. Under this head report all uncoupling
levers which are too long or too short. Give details.
DEFECTS OF VISIBEE PARTS OF AIR BRAKES.
41. Triple-valve casting defective. (See footnote A.)
42. Reservoir casting defective. (See footnote A.)
43. Cylinder casting defective. (See footnote A.)
44. Cut-out cock defective.
45 a. Release cock defective.
45 b. Release rod broken.
46. Angle cock defective.
47 a. Train pipe broken.
47 b. Train pipe loose.
48. Cross-over pipe defective. (See footnote A.)
49. Air hose defective.
50. Air-hose gasket defective.
51. Power-brake rigging parts defective. (Specify part.)
52. Retaining valve defective.
53. Retaining pipe defective.
54. Air-brake parts missing. (Specify part.)
55. Air-brake cut-out. (When possible give reason.)
(See footnote B.)
56. Cylinder or triple valve not cleaned within twelve
months. (Give date of last cleaning; or, if no
date is stencilled on cylinder or triple valve, use
words "no date.")
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57. Power driving - wheel brake, Locomotive not
equipped with.
58. Power train brakes, Locomotive not equipped with
appliances for operating.
Air brake defectjsard 3 o days old. See foot aoteB»
60. —
61.
62.
63.
64. - -------
65. Cylinder loose.
66. Reservoir loose.
67. -
68. ' -
69.
70. Air hose coupling defective.
71.
72.
73.
74
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11
75 -
76
77.
78.
79
80.
FOOTNOTES.
A. Defects Nos. 41, 42, 48, and 48 are such as ordina¬
rily only exist after cars have been wrecked, but are
mentioned here to define the defects of visible parts.
B. No. 55. Car with air-brake defect card applied
should not be reported. card is dU da^ys old.
Give date & point of appli¬
cation of old cards.
DEFECTS TO HANDHOLDS.
81. Handhold missing.
82. Handhold incorrectly applied. (See footnote A.)
83. Handhold bent.
84. Handhold broken.
85. Handhold loose.
86.
87
88
89
90
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12
FOOTNOTE.
A. Application of handholds and grab irons should be
governed by recommended practice of the M.. C. B.
Association.
A standard location for these parts is essential for
safe operation at all times, and especially at night.
DEFECTS IN HEIGHT OF COUPLERS.
91. Coupler too high; empty car. (See footnote A.)
92. Coupler too low; empty car. (See footnote A.)
93. Coupler too low; loaded car. (See footnote A.)
94. Coupler too high; loaded car. (See footnote A.)
95. Carrier iron loose.
FOOTNOTE.
A. On standard-gauge roads the maximum height is
34£ inches, measured from level of tops of rails to the
center of the coupler body or corresponding line in
coupler head. Greatest variation allowed from such
standard height between couplers of empty and loaded
cars is 3 inches.
On narrow-gauge roads the maximum height is 26
inches; extreme variation allowed between couplers of
empty and loaded cars is 3 inches.
Inspectors must exercise judgment in determining
defects of this class. See that car is standing on an
approximately level track before measurements are
taken.
Minimum height for loaded or empty cars, standard
gauge, is 3l£ inches. An empty car having a coupler
31£ inches high is defective because when loaded it
must fall below the minimum of 3l£ inches.
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13
DEFECTS TO STEPS.
96. Side-sill step bent.
97. Side-sill step loose.
98. Side-sill step broken.
99. Side-sill step missing.
i
100
101.
102.
103.
104
105.
106.
107.
108.
109
DEFECTS TO LADDERS.
110. Ladder round bent.
111. Ladder round broken.
112. Ladder round loose.
113. Ladder round missing.
114. Ladder incorrectly applied. (See footnote A.)
(A. Note.—No. 114. State in what way incorrect.)
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115. _ ..
116. ...
117. ...
118. ...
119. ...
14
•adder loose*
DEFECTS TO ROOF HANDHOLDS.
120. Roof handhold incorrectly applied.
121. Roof handhold loose.
122. Roof handhold missing.
123. R.QQf_handh_ol_d .
124 lop-h.amdh.oldjmcckrirectiy-
applied'
125. '-Tup-
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" ,, «, missing.
1-27 ,, broken.