The associated cost of corrosion and structural fatigue of light rail vehicle (LRV) and other transit vehicle fleets can be significant though their typically long service lives. This paper discusses an innovative approach to assess and determine the cost of corrosion and fatigue-related repairs in general and fleet-specific terms. This approach was most recently used to assess San Francisco's LRV fleet. The severity, type and cause of corrosion and structural fatigue were identified for more than 200 locations on each of 130 LRV's. This data was entered into a computer database and then analyzed to determine the extent and severity of corrosion. Five critical areas on the cars were found to require immediate attention. Other corrosion and fatigue-related deterioration was determined to be repairable during scheduled preventive maintenance.

The study revealed that, for existing fleets:

  1. a comprehensive inspection program can identify areas of deterioration

  2. micro-computer analysis can prioritize these areas by corrosion severity, and

  3. a preventive maintenance program can be designed to reduce the total life cycle costs.

Subject
Corrosion severity, Rail, Costs, Corrosion prevention, Corrosion fatigue, Inspectors, Inspection, Internal inspection, Personnel, Repair, Roofs, Maintenance, Deterioration
© 1989 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
1989
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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