At AllTranstek, we keep our finger on the pulse of the rail industry so that we can keep you up to date with trends and new regulations we feel our customers should know about. That’s why we’re sending out this email: to keep you abreast of things you should know.

Earlier this year, the AAR published circular letter CPC-1375 which revised MSRP Section C-III, M-1002, Chapter 1 and Appendices A and D.

The AAR is starting a program to require service equipment to be entered into the Railinc Component Tracking program.  As part of entry into the program, an AAR Component Identification (CID) bar code label is created for each item which will be used to associate it to the tank car in Umler when it is installed on the tank car.   

Starting July 1st, all pressure relief valves being qualified (built or rebuilt) must be entered into the Railinc Component Tracking program.  Any PRV that was qualified before July is not required to be entered into the Railinc Component Tracking program.  However, if a PRV is not installed within 6 months from its qualified date, then it must be qualified again and entered into the Component Tracking program.

To prepare for the July 1st implementation date an AAR facility with activity codes C4a, C4m, or C5 must have their bar code label process approved by the AAR.  Recently published circular letter C-13824 revised standard S-920 in regard to the approval process.

For more information regarding this new requirement please contact AllTranstek at info@alltranstek.com.

As a valued industry colleague, we feel that it is important to keep you informed with the status of AllTranstek’s  Regulatory services by introducing Subcontractor and Supplier audits. The audit helps the tank car facility meet the certification requirements of AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, M-1002 & M-1003. Specification M-1003, Chapter 2, paragraph 2.9 requires a facility to:

• Determine for those subcontracted and purchased products an appropriate method of verifying that the products/services conform to specified requirements. Typical methods include but are not limited to the following:
  • Source inspection by facility.
  • Surveillance of subcontractor.
    
    

In addition, Specification M-1002, Appendix B, paragraph 3.4 states:

• ­­­For each subcontracted product, service, and/or equipment, the tank car facility must comply with Specification M-1003, Chapter 2, paragraph 2.9 by the following:
  • ­­­Evaluating and selecting each subcontractor.
  • Documenting the verification method and the results of each subcontractor assessment, including objective evidence.
    
    

The following locations have been tentatively scheduled for on-site audits but additional facilities can be added upon request:

• Victoria Mechanical Services (subcontracted calibration services)

• ChemValve (valve supplier)
  
  

The cost of our audits to each participant are as follows:

• $1,000 for Subcontractor Evaluation (includes completed report & Exhibit B-1)

• $1,000 for Supplier Assessment (includes completed report)
  ​

For more information please contact Dave Ronzani at ronzani@alltranstek.com and 219-670-3401
​

​Are you an AAR Certified facility or new facility preparing for your next AAR audit?  For Activity Code C6r, AAR auditors are required to witness a Modification Demonstration.  It can be difficult for your facility to have all the required documentation and components to demonstrate a C6r Modification.

To help the modification demonstration, AllTranstek has created a demonstration kit. The AllTranstek kit can be utilized on your valve test bench or as a stand-alone unit. 

In addition, AllTranstek can provide assistance for all your other M-1002 Activity Code demonstrations and your M-1003 QA audit requirements.  We can help you prepare by working through the same checklists that the AAR auditors will use.

​The C6r kit includes: 

• Old components
• New components
• Original Certificate of Construction (4-2)
• Revised Certificate of construction
• Owner’s permission
• Instructions

​Are you looking for more comprehensive railcar management?
​Reach out to AllTranstek and see how we can be a resource to your fleet.

​The AAR is providing this notice to the industry as questions have arisen in regard to obtaining and maintaining AAR M-1003 Certifications during the COVID-19 pandemic.  This announcement supplements AAR Circular Letter C-13545 “Restart of AAR Inspections and Audits".
The following guidance is hereby issued and will remain in place until further notice is made by Circular Letter announcement:

1. North America (Canada, US, Mexico):
   M-1003 Quality Assurance certified facilities are required to be audited with normal onsite audits.  The AAR has auditors physically located in all the three countries and can travel unless they are restricted by local, state, or federal COVID-19 guidelines.  If an M-1003 Quality Assurance certified facility is operating and there are no travel restrictions in place, that facility must allow onsite M-1003 Audits.  In the case that travel restrictions are in place the AAR will preferably reschedule the audit to a mutually agreed upon date when travel is not restricted.  AAR Auditors are considered essential workers and may be exempt from some travel restrictions.
2. International (Outside of Canada, US, Mexico):
   The AAR Quality Assurance Committee (QAC) has temporarily approved remote (virtual) M-1003 Quality Assurance Audits in-place of face to face/onsite audits for facilities in countries that have travel restrictions associated with COVID-19.  Remote Auditing is approved for compliance year one, compliance year two, and recertification audit types.  Initial Certification audits will be managed on a case-by-case basis.  M-1003 Quality Assurance Certified Facilities are encouraged to work with their AAR Accredited Auditor as it will take both parties to ensure compliance to the program requirements.

In person audits will replace remote auditing for M-1003 Quality Assurance certifications for any specific country once COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted for that country.

Please submit questions to Don Guillen or Mark Rusovick with the Quality Assurance Committee at QA@aar.com.

Considering our country's ongoing situation with respect to the Covid-19 pandemic, the AAR continues to put safety first for those who participate in and support AAR committees. AAR has determined that for the first half of 2021, it is appropriate to arrange teleconferences or webinars in lieu of holding face-to-face meetings. Below is a list of those committees now planning with this approach in mind.

Though the dates are listed below, teleconferences and webinars are not necessarily open to public participation. Please check with the respective committee manager. AAR will monitor the situation with hope that the latter half of 2021 will be back to normal. Please look for the next meeting announcement circular in July.