lines in this country unless the sender observes published AAR rules or,
lacking these, has special permission from the AAR to ship an unusual load.
Another important point is thisAAR rules give minimum acceptable standards
for shipping by rail. Standards may be exceeded, however, as the shipper
may prefer. For example, 5/8inch cable may be substituted for wire strands
because it is at least as strong as the wire called for in the rules. Army
requirements, then, may be depended upon to meet at least the minimum
standards set by the AAR. Army requirements for rail shipment do not appear
in a single handbook. Instead, particular aspects of the subject are
covered in separate publications such as field manuals (FM), technical
manuals (TM), technical bulletins (TB), and loading drawings for special
equipment. In the subparagraphs that follow, you find what to expect from
the more commonly used Army publications on the loading of rail cars.
a. Field manuals. Among the field manuals treating the subject of
loading rail cars, FM 10110 (Part 1), Staff Officers' Field Manual,
Organization, Technical, and Logistical Data, is useful in planning rail
movements. Tables give characteristics of some U. S. and foreign rolling
stock (unpowered rail cars), data on moving divisions by rail showing how
many of what kinds of cars are needed, and vehicle loading tables. Field
Manual 5515, Transportation Reference Data, also contains a great deal of
rail loading information in tabular form that is useful for planning.
b. Technical manuals. The TM of almostevery item of equipment in
general Army use today contains specific car loading and blocking
instructions. In the last chapter of TM 9232021120 on the 5ton truck,
for example, you would find instructions for shipping the vehicle. Figure
1.6 reproduces the drawing found in the TM to illustrate the prescribed
method of blocking the 5ton truck. Note the chocks against the wheels.
Other TM's contain information only on the transportability of a
particular piece of equipment. One of these is TM 552330207201,
Transportability Guidance, Semitrailer, Stake, 12ton, 4wheel, M127A1C and
M127A2C. Included in it is significant transportability and safety guidance
in the movement of the semitrailer by various modes of transport as well as
side and endelevation drawings, characteristics of the item, and
precautions to be observed. For shipment of the semitrailer by rail, a
blocking and restraining diagram, a bill of materials, a blocking detail
diagram, and a wheel tiedown diagram are also included.
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