Hello. Back in the 1960's and 70's, there were 30, 60, and 90 day government mandated inspections for locomotives. What was the reason for the inspections? What did they check for during each inspection? How come each inspection was only 30 days appart?
Freelancer with an interest in N&W, SCL, and other 70s railroads
Here's some limited info:
http://www.fra.dot.gov/Pages/1762.shtml
http://www.railsafety.idaho.gov/summary.pdf
http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6562
The four type of inspection required by FRA were monthly, quartely, simi annual and annual inspecton. The fra card was signed and placed in the cab of the engine by the shift supervisor and inspector, and a copy held in the office files.
However the units were inspected every time they were at an engine terminal on hopefully a dailey basis of which was called by some roads as a turn, after six turns the seventh day was a full service, and so on untill a monthly of which was more in depth and the fed card signed off. this continued for 3 months untill it was in shop and inspected and worked on for its quarterly and continued on like this untill the annual of which was usualy in shop two or four days depending on what defects the inspector and maintainance crew found.
There were two types of inspectors. One was the roads employees, railroad machinist and electrical inspector, of which when I did it in the 60s and seventys was 6 cents more an hour, a mere pittance when one could be terminated from missing somthing that caused an injury or derailment and personnaly fined several thousand dollars.
The other inspector was a federal paid employee and on scene at any accident and also unannounced onsite inspections (engine terminal inspections) on all locomotives that entered the inbound lead and also the outbound lead. Usually there a day, if they found a magatude of defects perhaps 2 or 3. The FRA inspectors were mostly x-railroad inspectors that passed the federal exam and were not allowed to work for the goverment on any home road they use to work for. They also had specialist in air brake, wheel and axle, and other type of railroad inspctions. Kinda like the FAA to airplanes.
Good Morning All
I see a lot of "Was, and Were" in the thread. Is there currently a similar system in place and is it much different from the past inspections and frequency?
Springfield PA
Hamltnblue Good Morning All I see a lot of "Was, and Were" in the thread. Is there currently a similar system in place and is it much different from the past inspections and frequency?
Well you asked about the 60's and 70's, since that's in the past, your answers are couched in the past tense.
The inspections are the same, with the addition of a tri-annual inspection, but what gets inspected has moved around some as some components have longer times between inspections.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com