4 Aar P3

ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS
SAFETY AND OPERATIONS
0
Part 3
Specifications for the Design and Installation of Low

Profile, Pitless,
and Instrumented Railway Track Scales
— 2019 —
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section/Article Description Page
3.1 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–2

3.2 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–2
3.3 Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–2
3.4 Soil Bearing capacity for Ballast Supported Scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–2

3.5 Approaches for Ballast Supported Scales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–2
AAR SCALE
3.6 Scale Stabilization for Ballast Supported Scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–3
3.7 Multiple Module Scale Installations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–3

3.8 Instrumented Rail Track Scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–3
3.9 Weather Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–3
© 2019, Association of American Railroads
3–1
AAR Scale Handbook
SECTION 3.1 GENERAL
The following specifications apply to railway track scales which require no pit entrances for maintenance. Applicable
specifications in Part 1, Specifications for the Location, Maintenance, Operation, and Testing of Railway Track Scales and
Part 2, Basic Specifications for the Manufacture and Installation of Railway Track Scales of this handbook will apply to track
scale systems used for revenue service. Revenue scales shall meet or exceed applicable NTEP requirements.
NOTE: An Instrumented Rail Scale is construed as one where the rail is the weight sensing element.
SECTION 3.2 DESCRIPTION
As a general rule, low profile, pitless, and instrumented rail track scales are manufactured in modules and may be installed as
a single weigh module or as multiple weigh modules using a combination of modules.
SECTION 3.3 CAPABILITIES
The multiple module scale, including those with spaces between modules, shall be treated as a single scale.
SECTION 3.4 SOIL BEARING CAPACITY FOR BALLAST SUPPORTED SCALES
3.4.1 It is the objective to prevent the accumulation of water or other foreign material in the scale subgrade or the scale
structure which could degrade or compromise the vertical relationship of the scale elements, lead to uneven settlement under
traffic, or degrade function and performance.
3.4.2 If ground water is encountered at the proposed scale site and subgrade is saturated, alternate scale locations should be
investigated. If alternate locations are not available, manufacturer's specifications must be followed with the supervision of a
competent Soils Engineer. Solutions to soil bearing problems or saturated areas may require over excavation and emplacement
of engineering fabrics, the use of an engineered aggregate base as backfill, the design and installation of a drainage system for
the entire scale site or a combination of all three. In unsuitable soils as described above, it is mandatory that the entire process
be supervised by a competent Soils and/or Foundation Engineer.
SECTION 3.5 APPROACHES FOR BALLAST SUPPORTED SCALES
Approach foundation requirements shall be the same as required for the scale.
3–2
Specifications for the Design and Installation of Low Profile, Pitless, and Instrumented Railway Track Scales
SECTION 3.6 SCALE STABILIZATION FOR BALLAST SUPPORTED SCALES
3.6.1 Adequate means shall be provided to ensure scale stabilization, effectively tieing the scale to the ballast or foundation
elements with suitable restraining devices.
3.6.2 Rail ties, for Instrumented rail scales, shall be box anchored 25ft (8 m) either side of weigh modules.
SECTION 3.7 MULTIPLE MODULE SCALE INSTALLATIONS 2
All scale weigh modules and their approaches shall be installed and maintained in horizontal and vertical alignment with each
other.
2
SECTION 3.8 INSTRUMENTED RAIL TRACK SCALES
3.8.1 Rail scale sections shall be securely attached to the adjoining track to ensure that track integrity is maintained. standard
rail joint bars, thermite welds, or other approved methods shall be used.
3.8.2 Spacing between rail supports shall be such as to ensure that rail stresses under normal use shall not exceed 25,000 psi
(170 mPa). Maximum permissible spacing is dependent on many factors and shall be subject to approval by the chief engineer
of the serving railroad.
2
SECTION 3.9 WEATHER PROTECTION
In regions with snow and ice, means shall be provided to prevent the accumulation of snow and ice between weighing and non
AAR SCALE
weighing elements.
3–3
AAR Scale Handbook
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
3–4

4 Aar P3

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

4 Aar P3

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

4 Aar P3

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN RAILROADS

SAFETY AND OPERATIONS

Specifications for the Design and Installation of Low

and Instrumented Railway Track Scales

Section/Article Description Page

3.1 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–2

3.4 Soil Bearing capacity for Ballast Supported Scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–2

3.7 Multiple Module Scale Installations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–3

© 2019, Association of American Railroads

SECTION 3.1 GENERAL

SECTION 3.2 DESCRIPTION

SECTION 3.3 CAPABILITIES

SECTION 3.4 SOIL BEARING CAPACITY FOR BALLAST SUPPORTED SCALES

SECTION 3.5 APPROACHES FOR BALLAST SUPPORTED SCALES

© 2019, Association of American Railroads

SECTION 3.6 SCALE STABILIZATION FOR BALLAST SUPPORTED SCALES

SECTION 3.7 MULTIPLE MODULE SCALE INSTALLATIONS 2

© 2019, Association of American Railroads

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

© 2019, Association of American Railroads

You might also like