Prototype Information
Definition. A RIP track, short for Repair In Place track, is a designated track or tracks in a rail yard or along a main rail line where locomotives and/or railroad cars can be placed for minor repairs, without removing the units from service, and sometimes without even removing a freight load from the car.
Car Inspection. Any railroad in North America participating in interchange must comply with the Association of American Railroad (AAR) AAR Circular OT-10, Code of Car Service Rules. Set out in the rule book are lists of correct procedures that ensures safe and fair treatment of a car if repaired by someone other than the car owner. Approved parts, procedures, and correct repairs are covered in rules that apply to specific parts or procedures. In general, except in the event of a derailment (or for some specialty cars including tank cars), a railroad will usually elect to repair a defective car themselves rather than go through the hassle of contacting the car owner and coordinating for movement to the owner’s home or contract shop. See 2.1.2 Car Inspection for additional inspection details.
Types of Repairs
The interchange rules cover a wide variety of possible repairs to rail cars of many types. Some repairs are common to all types (such as replacement of wheelsets), while others are specific to a car type (e.g. repairing a door on a boxcar).
Other defects are noted upon inspection. These can include things like: dragging equipment (air hoses), thin wheels, defective safety appliances (handrails), defective reflective striping, or loose or shifted loads. Still other defects are noticed by operating crews, such as: defective coupler cut levers, broken knuckles, or air brake problems (e.g. defective air brake valves).
Repairing Those Defects
Most larger yards on Class 1 railroads incorporate some form of RIP track where minor/quick repairs can be made with minimal delay in transit, especially important for loaded cars. A typical RIP track will usually have somewhere that the car can be jacked up (to replace wheelsets or truck components), and may be located adjacent to a building used by carmen to store parts or for office space. Some shortlines that do not have capacity to conduct repairs may have an arrangement in place for a nearby Class 1 to conduct repairs.
When a car needed repair at a remote location and it was not feasible to move it to the rip track, the Car Department would send out a repair crew to make minor repairs or to take care of minor derailments. the personnel for this crew were usually regular car repair men who could be taken off their projects at the shop or called out after hours for this work
If a railroad determines that a repair is beyond the scope of what they can handle, such as derailment damage or specialized repairs on tank cars, hopper cars, or other specialty equipment, they can contact the car owner and request disposition to a home shop (operated by the car owner, such as a leasing company), or a third-party repair shop designated by the car owner (assuming car is safe to move on it’s own wheels). If a car is damaged heavily, either from a wreck, or through typical operation (such as a broken sill), and the car is not safe to move on own wheels, the railroad can settle with the car owner for depreciated value.
The WWSL
The WWSL will simulate the need for RIP track operations with a Situation Card placed in a Car Card.
The WWSL will have all three repair activies represented.
- A heavy repair / car rebuild facility will be located at Wickwood.
- A RIP track will be located in the Demain Yard complex. It will consist of a a carman’s office, a concrete pad or wooden planks to create a relatively flat surface. Likewise, crane(s), forklifts, and spare components such as couplers, brake assemblies, wheelsets, etc can also be placed near the RIP track.
- A traveling car repair team will be modeled for remote RIP activities.
- Train crews will have spare coupler knuckles, air hoses and brake shoes on hand. Each caboose will have a hot box cooling unit.
References.
The December 2015 issue of Model Railroader has an interesting article on railrcar repair by Matt Snell.
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