Western Railroad Discussion > Life of a freight car

From my understanding, the life of a "revenue" freight car is 40 years in the United States if built before 1974. After 1974 build date or rebuilt, then it is 50 years. Please correct me if I am wrong. Non revenue freight cars (restricted from interchange) like cars in maintenance-of-way service can serve indefinitely.

Does the 40 year rule also apply in Mexico and Canada as well? There is a Canadian Pacific gondola built in 1962 in "OCS" service. Is this revenue or what? Check it out. http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=60273

Any answers are appreciated.

SantaFeRuss

You have to distinguish between the Association of American Railroad (AAR) and the FRA. The AAR interchange rules apply to all railroads who are members of the AAR. Members essentially include all railroads in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. AAR rules are designed to develop common standards for equipment that is interchanged among the railroads, to allow for member's equipment to move freely and safely over any of the other roads. If a car does not meet AAR specifications, a recieving railroad has a basis to reject a car in interchange, or charge the owner for making any needed repairs to bring to AAR standards if it is operating on their railroad.

FRA regulations are US government regulations that only apply to US railroads. In 1979 the FRA instituted the 50 year age limit on all freight cars operating in the US, as follows from the parts of the rule I copied out of the Federal Code of Regulations:

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This part prescribes minimum Federal safety standards for railroad freight cars.

§ 215.3 Application.
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(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, this part applies to each railroad freight car in service on:
(1) Standard gage track of a railroad; or
(2) Any other standard gage track while the car is being operated by, or is otherwise under the control of, a railroad.

(b) Sections 215.15 and 215.303 of this part do not apply to any car:
(1) Owned by a Canadian or Mexican Railroad; and
(2) Having a Canadian or Mexican reporting mark and car number.

(c) This part does not apply to a railroad freight car that is:
(1) Operated solely on track inside an industrial or other non-railroad installation; or
(2) Used exclusively in dedicated service as defined in §215.5(d) of this part; or
(3) Maintenance-of-way equipment (including self-propelled maintenance-of-way equipment) if that equipment is not used in revenue service and is stenciled in accordance with §215.305 of this part.
(4) Operated in a passenger train and that is inspected, tested, maintained, and operated pursuant to the requirements contained in part 238 of this chapter.


This subpart contains requirements restricting the use of certain railroad freight cars.

§ 215.203 Restricted cars.
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(a) This section restricts the operation of any railroad freight car that is—
(1) More than 50 years old, measured from the date of original construction;
(2) Equipped with any design or type component listed in appendix A to this part; or
(3) Equipped with a Duryea underframe constructed before April 1, 1950, except for a caboose which is operated as the last car in a train.

(b) A railroad may not place or continue in service a railroad freight car described in paragraph (a) of this section, except under conditions approved by the Federal Railroad Administrator.

(c) A railroad may petition the Administrator to continue in service a car described in paragraph (a) of this section. Each petition shall be
(1) Be submitted not less than 90 days before the car is to be operated;
(2) Be submitted; and
(3) State or describe the following:
(i) The name and principal business address of the petitioning railroad.
(ii) The name and address of the entity that controls the operation and maintenance of the car involved.
(iii) The number, type, capacity, reporting marks, and car numbers of the cars, their condition, status, and age measured from the date of original construction.
(iv) The design, type component, or other item that causes the car to be restricted.
(v) The maximum load the cars would carry.
(vi) The maximum speed at which the cars would be operated.
(vii) That each car has been examined and found to be safe to operate under the conditions set forth in the petition.
(viii) The territorial limits within which the cars are to be operated and the name of each railroad that will receive the cars in interchange.

[44 FR 77340, Dec. 31, 1979, as amended at 74 FR 25172, May 27, 2009]
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When implemented, the FRA rule was the only restriction on older equipment in revenue service. However, with the advent of new 100-ton equipment, railroads became concerned about older cars with friction bearings and outmoded brake systems. In 1982, the AAR implemented the 40-year rule for cars built prior to 1974 to get these older cars out of interchange service (after much discussion among the railroads). Note that the AAR rule only applies to cars in interchange service, while the FRA rules apply to any US railroad operation of the cars. According to AAR rules, the railroads can extend the life of these older cars to 50 years by rebuilding a car to AAR's Rule 88 rebuilding standard. I don't know if there are any 50 year rules in Canada or Mexico, but I believe that because of the FRA rule, the AAR has essentially restricted 50 year old cars from interchange service in all three countries. However, if there are no 50 year government restrictions in Canada or Mexico, I am sure that railroads can continue to use such cars as long as they are not interchanged. Note that even in the US, railroads can obtain a waiver from the FRA to operate cars older than 50 years under the conditions outlined in the section of the rules I copied above.

This is a gross simplification of a very complex field, but hopefully this helps.