To the Members of the American Railway Engineering Association: A meeting of the Committee was held in New York on Thursday, November 7, 1912. This meeting was attended by Messrs. Osgood, Chairman; Brooke, Anthony, Carothers, Herman and Reisler. Communications were received from Messrs. Coombs, Dickson, Dougherty, Hanger, Mullen and Stewart. Last year's report of the Committee consisted of the presentation of a number of rules in the nature of specificatons or instructions regarding the government of employes and the conduct of work of the Maintenance of Way Department. The subjects assigned the Committee for this year were to continue the work of last year, as follows: (1) The compilation of rules for the government of maintenance of way employes, and (2) The formulation of rules in the nature of specifications or instructions regarding the conduct of work, making use of the recommendations of the various Committees dealing with these subjects and of the best practice of Railway Companies as embodied in their books of rules. In accordance with the first instruction, the Committee recommends that revisions and additions be made in the General Rules for the Government of Employes of the Maintenance of Way Department heretofore adopted by the Association, as follows: Revise Rule No. 8 under "Track Supervisors," "Track Foremen," "Supervisors of Structures," "Bridge and Building Foremen," "Signal Supervisors" and "Signal Foremen" to read as follows: Present Rule, (8) They shall conform to the prescribed standards and plans in the execution of work under their charge. Proposed Rule. (8) They shall conform to the prescribed standards, plans and specifications in the execution of the work under their charge. Insert under "Track Foremen" a rule to be No. 17 and reading as follows: They must keep all interlocking pipe lines and trunking free from grass and weeds and all switches, frogs and movable parts of interlocking plants free from snow, ice and other obstructions. Under "Track Foremen" change Rule No. 17 to be No. 18. Insert a rule under "Track Supervisors" to be No. 17 and under "Track Foremen" to be No. 19 to read as follows: Any action proposed by County, Township, Municipal or other authority, which will in any way affect the Company, shall be reported immediately to the............. (Title) Insert under General Notice rules to be No. 12 and No. 13 and reading as follows: (12) The use of intoxicants by employes while on duty is prohibited. Their use, or the frequenting of places where they are sold, is sufficient cause for dismissal. (13) Employes subject to emergency call shall notify their immediate superior officer and the Division Superintendent of any change in address, whether temporary or permanent. In accordance with the second instruction, the Committee recommends that the following rules be added to the "Instructions" which were presented and adopted by the Association at its convention of last year: NOTE-In preparing these rules the specifications have been taken wherever possible from the approved recommendations of the other Committees of the Association; the wording only being changed, where necessary, to conform to that of the other rules. Tie-Plates. 27. Tie-plates must be used wherever ties wear out faster than they fail by ordinary decay. They must be put on so as to get a full and level bearing on the tie and against the rail. Gaging. 28. Perfect gage is one of the essential features of good track; gage kinks are as detrimental as low joints. 29. The standard gage is 4' 81⁄2". Curves eight degrees (8°) and under should be standard gage. Gage should be widened one-eighth inch (%") for each two degrees (2°), or fraction thereof, over eight degrees (8°) to a maximum of four feet nine and one-quarter inches (4′ 94") for tracks of standard gage. Gage, including widening due to wear, should never exceed four feet nine and one-half inches (4′ 91⁄2′′). 30. The installation of frogs upon the inside of curves is to be avoided wherever practicable; where this is unavoidable the gage of the track at the frog should be standard. Curve Easement. 31. On all curves the amount of super-elevation to be given to the outer rail and the proper easement to be provided at the ends shall conform to the standards for "Track" as prescribed by the American Railway Engineering Association and published in the Manual, edition of 1911. Switches. 32. Switches must be placed in accordance with the standard plans and as located by the Engineer. 33. Switches and frogs must be kept well lined and in good order. Particular care must be taken to maintain good surface at switches. 34. Switches must be inspected frequently to see that they are in working order and that all nuts, bolts and other fastenings are in place and properly tightened. Broken or damaged parts must be renewed promptly. 35. Switch points must fit closely and accurately to the stock rail, which must be bent to suit the angle of the switch. The bend in the stock rail shall be at such distance ahead of the switch point as will make the gage line continuous. 36. Lead rails in all turnouts must be curved with a rail bender before being laid. 37. All main track switches leading to sidings or branch lines should be protected by switch connected derails. Switch Ties. 38. Switch ties must be used for all permanent turnouts, crossovers and railroad crossings and placed as shown on the standard plans, Guard Rails. 39. Frogs must be protected by guard rails, constructed and placed in accordance with standard plans. The tops of the guard rails must be level with the tops of the main rails and must be securely held in place. 40. Guard rails must be so placed that the distance from the gage side of the head of the frog wing rail to the flangeway side of the guard rail shall be exactly four feet six and three quarters inches (4′ 63⁄4′′) and great care must be taken to preserve this distance. Track Posts and Signs. 41. All signal posts, whistle posts, mile, posts, signal targets, bridge and other standard signs must be kept plumb and in good condition. 42. Whistle posts must be placed so as not to be obscured by fences or other signs. Care of Track Tools, 43. Tools must not be left standing within six feet (6') of the nearest rail of the track on which a train is approaching. Road Crossings. 44. Road and street crossings must be constructed as shown on the standard plans and kept in good order. 45. Particular care must be taken to remove as far as practicable all obstacles which obstruct the view of crossing signs and approaching trains. 46. Flangeways must be kept clear of rubbish, snow, ice and other obstructions; defective crossing planks must be repaired promptly. Platforms. 47. Station platforms must be kept clean, free from rubbish, snow and ice, and in good order. 48. Defective platforms must be promptly repaired or reported. |