Action
Notice of safety advisory.
Summary
FRA is issuing Safety Advisory 2003-03, which provides additional information on the potential catastrophic failure of 100-ton truck bolsters manufactured by National Castings of Mexico's (NCM) Sahagun, Mexico facility with Association of America Railroads (AAR) Identification Numbers B-2410 and B-2409 and National Patterns 52122 and 52202, respectively, used in 263,000 pound and 286,000 pound gross rail load freight cars. These two bolster patterns were manufactured by NCM from 1995 through 1998 and were installed on 29,186 U.S. freight cars of various type construction. Additionally, an overview of the railroad industry's AAR Safety Action Plan for appropriate handling and disposition of these cars is contained in this advisory.