-16 Gauging devices, top loading and unloading devices, venting and air inlet devices.

(a)When installed, these devices shall be of an approved design which will prevent interchange with any other fixture, and be tightly closed. Unloading pipes shall be securely anchored within the tank. Each tank or compartment may be equipped with one separate air connection.#

(b)When the characteristics of the commodity for which the car is authorized are such that these devices must be equipped with valves or fittings to permit the loading and unloading of the contents, these devices, including valves, shall be of an approved design, and be provided with a protective housing except when plug or ball type valves with operating handles removed are used. Provision shall be made for closing pipe connections of valves.#

(c)A tank may be equipped with a vacuum relief valve of an approved design. Protective housing is not required.#

(d)When using a visual gauging device on a car with a hinged manway cover, an outage scale visible through the manway opening shall be provided. If loading devices are applied to permit tank loading with cover closed, a telltale pipe may be provided. Telltale pipe shall be capable of determining that required outage is provided. Pipe shall be equipped with 1/4 inch minimum NPT control valve mounted outside tank and enclosed within a housing. Other approved devices may be used in lieu of outage scale or telltale pipe.#

(e)Bottom of tank shell may be equipped with a sump or siphon bowl, or both, welded or pressed into the shell. Such sumps or siphon bowls, if applied are not limited in size and must be made of cast, forged, or fabricated metal. Each sump or siphon bowl must be of good welding quality in conjunction with the metal of the tank shell. When sump or siphon bowl is pressed in the bottom of the tank shell, the wall thickness of the pressed section must not be less than that specified for the shell. The section of a circular cross section tank to which a sump or siphon bowl is attached need not comply with the out-of-roundness requirement specified in appendix W, W14.06, of the AAR Specifications for Tank Cars. Any portion of a sump or siphon bowl not forming a part of a cylinder of revolution must have walls of such thickness and be so reinforced that the stresses in the walls caused by a given internal pressure are not greater than the circumferential stress which would exist under the same internal pressure in the wall of a tank of circular cross section designed in accordance with § 179.200-6 (a) and (d). In no case shall the wall thickness be less than that specified in § 179.201-1.#

(f)When top loading and discharge devices, or venting and air inlet devices are installed with exposed piping to a removed location, shutoff valves must be applied directly to reinforcing pads or nozzles at their communication through the tank shell, and must be enclosed in a protective housing with provision for a seal. The piping must include breakage grooves, and suitable bracing. Relief valves must be applied to liquid lines for protection in case lading is trapped. Provision must be made to insure closure of the valves while the car is in transit.#

(g)Protective housing, when required, must be fabricated of approved material and have cover and sidewalls not less than 0.119 inch in thickness.#