About AAR Circular Letters
Circular letter summaries are produced monthly by Greenbrier’s Regulatory Management team, a division of Greenbrier Management Services Group.
AAR circular letters provide information of general applicability to the railroad industry, including proposed and final rules, revisions, standards and recommended practices, and calls for comments. These summaries provide the main points of circular letters issued in the prior month, as well as important implementation deadlines.
For access to the complete circular letter, please go to my.aar.org/circulars. Circular letters are a fee-based service provided by the AAR’s Transportation Technology Center Incorporated (TTCI). You may subscribe online at publications@aar.com or call 719.584.0538.
Implementation Circulars
C-13745
Implementation of Retirement and Archival of AAR MSRP Section M – Standard S-5512 – LOCOMOTIVE EVENT RECORDER DOWNLOAD STANDARD
Issued: February 22, 2021
Effective: February 22, 2021
Effective immediately, S-5512 is hereby retired. Please remove the Standard from Section M and be governed accordingly.
C-13747
Implementation Effective Immediately: Corrections to Field Manual Rule 41, Wheels
Issued: February 24, 2021
Effective: February 24, 2021
The purpose of this circular letter is to notify the industry that there were misprints found on two pages of Rule 41 in the January 2021 English & Spanish Field Manuals. Pdfs that contain the revisions are included in the circular. This circular is identified as mandatory in accordance with Field Manual Rule 1.5.b(11) and must be maintained until the next revision of the Field Manual.
C-13749
IMPLEMENTED. AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices (MSRP), Section K-1 Railway Electronics Systems Architecture and Concept of Operations, Standard S-9081.V1.1
Issued: February 26, 2021
Effective: February 26, 2021
Standard S-9081.V1.1 contains the format and establishes some of the data contents of the Train Sheet Transaction Set (EDI 161), Applicable Advise – Train Sheet (EDI 824) and Train Consist Transaction Set (EDI 418J) for use within the context of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) environment. These transaction sets can be used to allow railroads to exchange train information and ensure that the crews operating equipment on the railroads are aware of current operating conditions.
Standard S-9081.V1.1 was Adopted in 2021 and is attached to the Circular in PDF format. It will be incorporated in the next issue of the MSRP, Section K-1 Railway Electronics Systems Architecture and Concept of Operations. In the interim, please insert the circular in your copy of the MSRP Section K-1 and be governed accordingly.
Call for Comment
C-13744
DRAFT S-9355.V2.0 – Class C Messaging is available for review and comment. In support of AAR’s MSRP, Section K-IV, Office Architecture and Railroad Electronics Messaging.
Issued: February 9, 2021
Effective: 15 days for comment.
The proposed document specifies the Class C messaging protocol. Sufficient detail for implementation is provided. Comments regarding the DRAFT may be submitted by using the Comment Form found on the on the Railinc site and emailing the completed form to submitcomment@aar.org. The DRAFT document and Comment Form can be found at: https://DRAFT S-9355.V2.0
C-13743
DRAFT S-9075.V1.0 – ISMP Design Considerations is available for review and comment. In support of AAR’s MSRP, Section K-1, Railway Electronics Systems Architecture and Concept of Operations
Issued: February 9, 2021
Effective: 15 days for comment.
This document contains common and interoperable requirements for; the creation of ISMP messages, the signing of ISMP messages, the encryption of the fields in ISMP messages, signing ISMP messages, establishing sessions between a back office application and the domestic ITCSM gateway, and ISMP Message response codes. This document also includes the requirements for establishing sessions between a back office application and the gateway as well as the behavior requirements for these messages. Comments regarding the DRAFT may be submitted by using the Comment Form found on the railinc site and emailing the completed form to submitcomment@aar.org. The DRAFT document and Comment Form can be found at: https://DRAFT S-9075.V1.0
C-13742
DRAFT S-9076.V1.0 – ITC Systems Management Interoperable Gateway Requirements is available for review and comment. In support of AAR’s MSRP, Section K-1, Railway Electronics Systems Architecture and Concept of Operations
Issued: February 9, 2021
Effective: 15 days for comment.
The proposed document describes the ITCSM Gateway requirements for processing interoperable ISMP messages. Comments regarding the DRAFT may be submitted by using the Comment Form found on the Railinc site and emailing the completed form to sumbitcomment@aar.org. The DRAFT document and Comment Form can be found at: https://DRAFT S-9076.V1.0
C-13748
Solicitation of Comments for Revisions to MSRP Section C, CAR CONSTRUCTION FUNDAMENTALS AND DETAILS, Standard S-2043, Performance Specification for Trains Used to Carry HLRM
Issued: February 25, 2021
Effective: 30 days for comment.
The main purpose of the revisions is to update requirements based on experience gained in recent years during the testing and approving of High-Level Radioactive Material equipment. All proposed changes are summarized in the circular.
C-13750
Solicitation of Comments, Office Manual Rule 88, Form 88-C, Rule 93, and Appendix E
Issued: February 26, 2021
Effective: 30 days for comment.
During the February 2021 meeting of the Arbitration and Rules Committee, a proposal to revise Rule 88 and remove the Form 88-C paper submission process for newly acquired units was reviewed and approved. Buyers will no longer be required to submit a paper copy of Form 88-C to the AAR for newly acquired equipment. Instead, buyers will have visibility (via CSV download) in Umler to the current fields listed on Form 88-C prior to accepting confidential data access rights during the Umler transfer process. The buyer will be required to certify that the newly acquired units meet basic safety and mechanical requirements as required by Rule 88 prior to accepting confidential data access rights and continuing through the restencil process. A pdf containing the proposed Umler Accepting Rights process is attached to the circular.
Notice of Circulars
C-13741
Issued: January 29, 2021
Effective: January 29, 2021
Due to continued uncertainty with respect to Covid-19 pandemic, the AAR Spring 2021 Technical Committee Meetings will be virtual. A meeting schedule is included in the circular. The meetings will not be open to public participation.
C-13746
Informational Circular, CRB Data Exchange Type 6 Records and FindUs.Rail
Issued: February 23, 2021
Effective: February 23, 2021
The Car Repair Billing (CRB) Committee has approved a proposal to allow Railinc to update missing contact information in FindUs.Rail with contact information from CRB inbound Record Type 6. AAR Office Manual Rule 114 requires that all signatories to the AAR Interchange Rules populate FindUs.Rail with the following CRB contact types: Billed Party (BP), Billing/Invoicing Party (IP), Inquiries (IQ), Remit To (RT), and Billing/Invoicing Party Exception Handling (EX). Rule 114.11 also states, “In the event that Railinc receives a Car Repair Billing Data Exchange record with contact information in the Type 6 record and the same contact information in the FindUs.Rail system is blank, Railinc is authorized to update the system contact record with the same contact information found in the Type 6 Record.” Full details of the proposal are included in the circular.
It is recommended that this information be shared with all Car Repair Billing and IT personnel in your company that work with or are responsible for Car Repair Invoices submitted to and/or received from Railinc’s CRB Data Exchange.
Greenbrier’s response to COVID-19
As this challenging time continues, Greenbrier would like to provide an update on operations and our continued dedication to our customers, employees, and communities. As rail workers and contractors are designated “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers”, Greenbrier’s manufacturing and repair facilities are fully operational. Our office teams are available as well, though most are working remotely. We encourage you to contact your Greenbrier representative if you have any questions or concerns—we are here for you.
For more information, visit our webpage that details Greenbrier’s response to COVID-19.
Greenbrier’s Regulatory Services Group
Peace of mind for your business.
The Regulatory Management Group, led by James Rader, provides regulatory, engineering, process consulting and advocacy support to the railcar repair industry and the petrochemical rail shipper community.
- ASNT Level III Subscription Services
- DOT Compliance Assessments (Corporate and Plant)
- DOT Hazardous Materials Training (Corporate and Plant)
- Expert Witness Services in Rail-Related Litigation
- Federal Government Claims Mitigation (e.g. FRA and PHMSA)
- Nondestructive Testing Programs
- Quality Assurance Program Development
- Regulatory Counsel and Policy Advocacy
- Railcar Repair Management (Design Review, Drawings, Engineering and AAR Approval Administration)
- Tank Car Reliability and Maintenance Programs (49 CFR Subpart F of Part 180)
- Tank Car Maintenance Data Collection and Reliability Performance Analysis
- Welding Program Development
For inquiries about these summaries or any of our services, please reach out to: regulatoryservices@gbrx.com
About Greenbrier Management Services (GMS)
Greenbrier Management Services (GMS) is North America’s most comprehensive railcar management solutions provider. GMS manages nearly 400,000 railcars and has invested over 20 years in developing technology, processes, and people to provide the best railcar management products and services in the industry. GMS is powered by proprietary software and the best subject matter experts in the railcar business.
COMPREHENSIVE. INTEGRATED. VALUE.
Combined, these two vitally important capabilities are able to deliver world-class solutions to every type of customer, from Class I railroads, lessors and industrial shippers to financial investors. GMS brings broad expertise to cover nearly any railcar management need that customers may have and its integrated solutions and reporting can be customized for any customer function or management need.