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Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Dave Ronzani – Director of Railcar Regulatory Compliance for AllTranstek. Together they discuss the enormous amount of regulatory oversight a certified tank car repair facility has from the DOT, PHMSA, FRA, BOE and AAR. They also discuss what it takes to receive and maintain a tank car repair facility certification including significant investment and training. Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading. You can find the episode on the American Railroading Podcast's official website at www.AmericanRailroading.net . Welcome aboard!
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The amount of manuals a certified tank car repair facility must have on-hand is staggering and includes requirements from the DOT, FRA, BOE, AAR, tank car owners and more, which are all based on federal laws.
In general, a facility must be a certified tank car repair facility if they are making repairs above the tank car stub-sill.
Tank car owners should always verify that the facility making repairs to their tank car has the proper certification(s) under AAR MSRP, Section C-III, Appendix B.
Cleaning and transloading facilities considering making repairs to a tank car, should first check AAR MSRP, Section C-III, Appendix B to see if they must be certified to make those repairs.
The FRA not only has the ability to levy fines against those in violation of federal regulations and requirements, but they also have arresting powers and the ability to prosecute if they feel it is warranted.
The process to receive and maintain a tank car repair facility certification once all manuals, equipment, personnel, and training are in place includes an audit and subsequent mandatory annual audits (by the FRA, BOE and AAR) which can cost as much as $60,000.00 for each full-service tank car repair facility annually.
The most common mistake Dave sees during internal audits he performs at certified tank car repair facilities is not following the car owner’s procedures.
Happy Mother’s Day!
LINKS MENTIONED:
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https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dwalshX
Director, Railcar Regulatory Compliance
Mr. Ronzani’s career has spanned 40+ years in Quality Assurance and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) across several industries including locomotive manufacturing, ASME pressure vessels, tank car manufacturing and repair, and other metal fabrication sectors. Dave’s responsibilities as Director of Railcar Regulatory Compliance for AllTranstek include assisting tank car owners, tank car facilities, and hazardous materials shippers, in creating, implementing, and maintaining Quality Assurance, non-destructive testing and regulatory compliance programs. Dave holds an American Society for Non-Destructive Testing (ASNT) Level III certificate in 7 NDT methods. Dave is an American Welding Society (AWS) Senior Certified Welding Inspector (SCWI) and is a past Chairman of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) M-1002 Appendix T task force for non-destructive testing. Dave resides near Fort Wayne, Indiana and in his free time he likes to go boating, fresh and salt-water fishing, and golfing.