Securing down Devices to Empty Cars (Cont)

TM 55S-2220-058-14

(l)

Pull each of the remaining chains as short as possible, and hold them in place with the claw hooks.

Tighten the loadbinders on each chain to make them taut.

If one vehicle is moved on a flatcar, the chains in the middle of the car will be used to tie down the vehicle

and those on the ends of the car must remain secured in a necklace arrangement. On cars with at least two spare

chains, the spares will be used as crossover chains and placed in channel D positions 7 and 38 as described in

assemblies A and D for an empty car at figure 2-2.

If a car has only 48 chains, all 24 chains in the center of the car must be used to tie down the vehicle (except

the M109 self-propelled howitzers, which use only 12 chains). Since this leaves no chains available to cross over the

deck to secure chains, shackles, and rings at the end of the car, the chain assemblies, with anchors, near positions D3

and D42 must be removed and placed at positions D7 and D38. These will become the crossover chains. At this point,

follow the crossover procedures identified in assemblies A and D of figure 2-2.

NOTE1

You will find that, when a single M1 tank or M88 recovery vehicle is moved, positions D7 and D38

are identified as tiedown points. Therefore, no room is left for the crossover chain used to

secure the chains, shackles, and rings. When this occurs, simply move the chains used for tying

down the vehicle from positions D7 to D8 and D38 to D37. This will allow use of the crossover

chain to secure loose equipment at the ends of the car without jeopardizing the safety of the

vehicle.

NOTE 2

If the tiedown procedures prescribed in this manual for loaded and empty cars are followed, very

few instances of losses of chains, shackles, or rings, should occur. Nevertheless, accountability

for chains, shackles, and rings is specified in MTMC operational notice No. 123, dated 221300Z

Mar 85. This implements DA policy as outlined in DA MSG 181522Z Feb 84, subj: accountability

for chains, rings, and shackles on 140-ton rail flatcars. Detailed instructions pertaining to

accountability for chains, shackles, and rings also can be found in chapter 25 of the Defense

Traffic Management Regulation upon its publication.

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