Foreword

This report identifies guidelines for regulatory qualification of railcar linings in corrosive service. Its purpose is two-fold: 1) to report primary lining inspection intervals used by participating large rail fleet owners and their customers; and 2) to report factors that the tank car shipping industry and commodity manufacturers use to develop those lining inspection intervals. This report is intended to inform lining/coating owners in their development of inspection intervals. Some shippers do not have the experience, resources, or familiarity with regulations required to develop inspection intervals.

This report is addressed to lining/coating owners (or their agents, e.g., logistics providers) who are charged with establishing inspection intervals in accordance with U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)⁽¹⁾ regulations, Transport Canada⁽²⁾ regulations, and Association of American Railroads (AAR)⁽³⁾ rules governing qualification of tank car linings in corrosive service. This report refers to such regulations and rules collectively under the term HM201.⁽⁴⁾

The first section of this report summarizes the regulatory requirements guiding the development of inspection intervals. The second section outlines limitations to those regulations. The third section discusses factors used in the development of inspection intervals, such as lining service records, laboratory testing, field testing, inspection data, corrosion data, and commercial/operational constraints. Appendix A shows commonly used inspection intervals.

The information contained in this report was obtained by polling large fleet tank car owners, representatives of lining manufacturers, tank car maintenance experts, and corrosive commodity shippers/lining owners.

This technical committee report was prepared by NACE International Task Group (TG) 063, "Railcars: Corrosion Protection and Control Program." This TG consists of lining engineers for large fleet tank car owners, representatives of lining manufacturers, tank car maintenance experts, and corrosive commodity shippers/lining owners. TG 063 is administered by Specific Technology Group (STG) 43, "Land Transportation." It is also sponsored by STG 02, "Coatings and Linings, Protective: Atmospheric," and STG 03, "Coatings and Linings, Protective: Immersion and Buried Service." This technical committee report is issued by NACE International under the auspices of STG 43.

⁽¹⁾ U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 400 Seventh St. SW, Washington, DC 20590.

⁽²⁾ Transport Canada, 330 Sparks St., Ottawa, ON K1A 0N5.

⁽³⁾ Association of American Railroads (AAR), 50 F St. NW, Washington, DC 20001-1564.

⁽⁴⁾ HM201 refers to the notice of proposed rule making (Docket No. HM-201 published in 58 Federal Register 48485 on Sept. 16, 1993) that led to the development of the referenced regulations and rules.