Document rprKQqbN5NwV5EwwRnDxY2ajr

FILE NAME: Railroads (RR) DATE: 1981 DOC#: RR049 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Letters RE Asbestos Rope Work 1'cbruai.y G, 1981 File: 1103 Mr. N. J. A n d r e w s Director of Safety 233 N. M i c h i g a n Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60601 Dear Nick: T h i s has r e f e r e n c e to y o u r l e t t e r of- J a n u a r y 28, 1901 writ t e n to Steering Committee members con cerning the use of asbestos r o p e to h e a t rail w hen m a k i n g joints. S i n c e e a r l y 1978, we -have u s e d c o a r s e s awdu s t, bu i 1d ing_ i n s u l a t i o n in b a g s (rock wool') a n d / o r r olls of i n s u l a t i o n (fiberglass) w h i c h -we s a t u r a t e w i t h fuel oil and place along rail.. T h e s e m a t e r i a l s are u s e d in p l a c e of- a s b e s t o s to eliminate the problems ass ociated with handling, burning, or breathing asbestos. S incerely, A . R . F r i 11 s , Jg: Director Personal Injury Prevention c . W . Bailey G . W . Gearhar t W. T.. Ma tliers G . P . Burns ' w .. F . Wingate. P 1 L. D i s i n g e r G . S . Pollard R . D . Shaver F -. M . K a y 1o r C . R. M a c D o n a l d - 'J . P i l c h e r c . S . Baldwin G . P Barry R . c . Lindquis t M . c .' M i t c h e l l J. 11. S a d 1e r c c : Mr . A . 13. Cary i- in a 'J n i' : I j.. U U l U in u u >j u i.v *<-v ..>> /n.;^ *j ^ * .j.-,., poo cron. M i n n e s o t a g s u i o F e Ij r uc>:' y 10, 191! 1 Mr. II. J . A n d r e ws , D i r e c t o r o f I l l inois Central (1u 1f Ita i1ru a cl 2 3 3 II . M i c h i g a n A v c n u c Chicago, Illinois 60601 Safety 1 PLAINTIFF'S | EXHIBIT i i R - 152 D e a r II i c k : Thi s has r e f e r e n c e to your l e t t e r of J a nua r y 28, l 901 c n n c c i ' n i n q ICG' s pr a c t i c e of us i ng as he s Los r ope as a wi ck to h e a t r a i l when: ma k i n g j o i n t s . In c h e c k i n g wi t h o ur (lug i i i c er i ng Depot* tmen t , t h e y g a v e me t h r e e p h o t o g r a p h s o f a s y s t e m we a r e p r e s e n t l y u s i n g wli.ich c o n s i s t s of 6 l e n g t h s of p i p e , 8' long wi th a quick di s c o n n e c t c o u p l e r us e d i n t he c e n t e r o f e v e r y two l e n g t h s of p i p e . f o r ' h e a t i n g a r a i l , we p l a c e 3o f t h e s e h e a t e r s eac h .Iu i n l e n g t h a l o mg t hc s i d e o f t h e r a i l . In p h o t o g r a p h 3 yuu w i l l see the p r e s s u r e r e g u l a t o r and the h o s e s . The h o s e s w i l l r e a c h f rom the c e n t e r ; G p i e c e out to e ai c h s e c t i o n I 6' away. He u s e a p p r o x i m a t e l y 20 pounds o f IP gas p r e s s u r e wi t h the p r e s s u r e a d j u s t me n t bei ng done at the r c g u l i i t o r on t he gus t a n k . The 8' u n i t s f i t i n t he h a c k . o f a p i c k u p t r u c k and can be e a s i l y h a n d l e d ty> any l o c a t i o n wher e we - h a v e a p u l l - a p a r t . The o n l y p r o b l e m we ha v e f ound w i t h t h i s s y s t e m , to d a t e , i s t h a t we l o s e p r e s s u r e i n t he IfP t a n k s when we have e x t r e me l y cold weat her; sometimes it is neces sary to pl ace the t a n k s i n a warin' e n v i r o n m e n t t o g e n e r a t e g a s . Sincerely, J LR/jc A 11 a chme n t c c : AAll S t e e r i n g Co mini I. Lee "l h U c^~C . H . Hailey D i r e c t o r of Safety l TiH> W es! .lac J- son fin u lcv ;h (I Chic.iqn llh/ii<c; i.(>i 3 1:>>'-u-:tuuo I'eb ru .1 ry L2Lh , 198 1 | AINTIFF'S ( Mr . N . J . Anil reus General Manager Sn [e ty/Teelvn ic al Training Illinois General Gulf KR. ' Two 111 inois.CenCer 233 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, II. 60601 Dear M r . And rews : Reference is made to your letter of January 23, 1981 concerning asbestos rope and its use as a wick to heat rail when making joints. Wc are now testing a fiber glass filament rope. Once the resales of the test are final will share sane with you. Very truly yours , G . J.. Harry 1 Dir. Rules , Safety cc - -AAR Stee ring Coiumi 11 ee 1/ Vil v.vi F e b r u a r y 17, 1901 Mr. N. J. Andrcv/s General Manager-Safcty/Technica1 Illinois Central Gulf Railroad Two Illinois Center 233 Forth Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60G01 Training Dear Hick: _ This is in r e f e r e n c e to y o u r le t t e r of J a n u a r y 28, 1981, c o n c e r n i n g m e t h o d s used to b r i n g r a i l ends together. In norm al maintenance and production procedures we use either the S i m p l e x ratchet (mechanical) rail pullor/expander or the Simplex 120-ton hydraulic rail puller/expander. However, during wint er months when faced with .pull-aparts, we do u tilize asbestos rope. The a s b e s t o s '^ooc used by C o n r a i l is not a pure .material but a c o m p o u n d of "interwoven fibers. It is l o o s e l y wrapped m w i r e to a i d in h o l d i n g tine rope t o g e t h e r a n d p r e v e n t damage, and, in turn, is k ept in a s e a l e d m e t a l c o n t a i n e r . The rope is s o a k e d in fuel oil in this c o n t a i n e r and neither the so a k i n g nor ignition break down the rope or its constituents^ and'asbestos fibers are not released. O u r p r o c e d u r e s ' require that tie rope be c a r r i e d to the site in the c o n t a i n e r . .The rope is then r e m o v e d f r o m the fuel oil u s i n g a too l or .by hand, s u i t a b l y p r o t e c t e d w i t h g a u ntlet s t y l e g l o v e s . Once in place, the e m p l o y e e s ignite tire rope from the upwind side using either a fusee or gasoline distributing can. CO'-noi ia a i rc - llraG'np^rcracr;;'.'. QL-jcr,r?(p'crs So tilhm i Pociic Uuildmj; One M.nkcl I'i.i/.i fi.'*n f i.mcisco, C^M oio ln 9'110j * (*Uj ) 3G2-121? , J. r i L C M i n . r . c 11h t<t>11 018M -3 F e b r u a r y ] 8 , 19HJ J . r . iM't u n u *i1,t1.* '' `VS Mr . N . . J . And r c ws 1 C e n o ra V M a n a g e r - Sn fei: y / T o c Im i cm 1 11 1i ryo Ls C e n t r a l C u l i K i l r o a d T w o / H l i n o i. s /C rj n L 233' N o r t h M i c h i g a n A v e n u e C h i c a g o , I l l i n o i s GJ6U 1 Training PLAINTIFFS IXHIBIT 'k-155 ' Doni : N .i. c k : T i n o me r e j' c r e s c e l.o y o u r l e i t o r o f J a n u a r y 28 Lo ilio A s s o c i t u m o A m e r i c a n K a i l r o a d 's S t e m ug Coni mi t t e e Menibe r s c o n c e r n i n g u s e o f a s b e s t o s r o p e t o h e a t rai.l w h i l e mailing j o i n t s . We h a v e c h o c k e d w i t h o u r ling i n e e r i. ug D e p a r t m e n t a n d f i n d t h a t we do not. u s e a s b e s t o s J. ov w i c k i n g ma t e ri. a l t o h e a t t h e r a i l . We u s e c o t t o n r o p e s a t u r a t e d with fuel o i l ; which is igintpd to supply sufi icieiit h e a t t o or. panel t h e r a i l in mal; m g t h e p r e s e t i . b e d j o i n t ; ; . Yours truly, / c e - AAK S t e e r i i\g. C o m m i t t e e -Member; Gctlclis Urjdley C P si-aid February 2d, 1981 t1:" GC-798.15.C IlLurjis Central Gulf Railroad 233 North Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60601 Dear Wick, This relccs to. your, letter dated January 2c, 1981, requesting procedures followed relative to nuking rail joints on breakaparts. CP Pail uses asbestos rope soaked in kerosene w'ncn the space is less than three inches. A rail puller with 120-ton capacity is usee in conjunction v.lth the asbestos rope, where require!. Yours truly, Superintendent, Accident Prevention sk ' A .A .R : to Cely Section Steering Committee t'nr n ' .v // T? r.. -,' f' Jacksonville, Florida 8-1 February 25,'- 1981- Hr. R. E. Frame Chief Engineering Officer . The officers of the AAR.Safety Steer ing /Comm Ittee recent!y--" exchanger: Information on methods used to heat rail while making joints, especially the use of asbestos rope for this purpose. For your information and review, attached Is our file of letters received. Please return this in formotion.and we will.retain It should it be needed again. ' 1 WFV/crog' attachment \ I . F. Wingate, Director Accident Reporting Analysis ' BURLINGTON N O RTH ERN Gr;u::r,FiL''.LD r e c .i o ;: Ho March .11, ]?Gl Mr. V.. J. Andrewo General Man nr.cr-Sn fe tv/Tec luiicnl Illinois Central Gulf. Railroad Two Illinois Center 133 Uorth Michigan Avenue Chi car0 -. IT 6()6oi Train inr. Dear Mr. Andrews: Reference year letter of January l6 ; l0 "'! cor.c.crnin/' in.Mirier, sustained by employees due to explosion or fire Rurinr veld inr or cuttin.r operations on locomotive fuel tanks. We have had. no incidents rc/rc.rriiin; this type operation in 19o0 or any other year. Reference your letter of January If', lRPl concerninr the use of asbestos rone ns a. wick to heat rail when -sunk im; Joints. ~ ' On the Gpr in/7.fie Id Rerion, we. Use a machine called mi 1expander '. It uses n 3-S HP enr.inc to drive a hydraulic \.uu::p. Che pressure pulls the rails to gether so that a stripped J oi n t`enn be re pa iret';. The use of rope and oil to heat the rail has been discontinued. Gincercly , / / L *" 0. G. Pollard Director G.afcty and Hull. Jacksonville, Florida n-.l ! ({ March 23, ` J 1901 fCAINTffF'S EXHIBIT -J\V. .otc *r RS-st59 Rfi- 159 Mi:. H. E. Frame Chi el Engineering Officer Steering joints. This refers to my letter of February Committee information on methods used 25, 1981 relative to AAR to heat rail while making Attached are t.io' additional, letters. .Please return this in formation' and v:o will retain it should it be needed again. attachments W. F. Wingate, Director Accident Reporting r. Analysis