Tiedown Handbook For Rail Movements - SDDCTEA - U.S. Army

SIXTH EDITION SDDCTEA PAMPHLET 55-19
4. Securing Movable Structure
Equipment with rotating parts, such as tank turrets, and movable parts, such as crane
outriggers and booms, must have those parts positively secured, usually with wire rope.
(rules 6.1 to 6.3) This prevents the parts from moving out or up during shipment. Serious
accidents can result from parts striking bridges, structures, or passing trains.
5. Forty-Five Degree Tiedown Angle
Place the vehicles on the flatcar so the tiedown wire rope or chain makes
approximately a 45 degree angle with the flatcar's deck when viewed from the side.
Measuring by eye is usually good enough. If you want to layout the correct angle with a
tape measure, make the longitudinal distance from the point the tiedown attaches to the
deck to the tiedown provision on the vehicle equal to the vertical distance from the deck to
the provision (Fig 2). Do not cross the tiedowns.
6. Inverted Tiedowns
Inverted tiedowns are tiedown chains or wire ropes that are secured under the
vehicle rather than out, away from the vehicle (Fig 3). Inverted tiedowns are only
appropriate in cases in which the tiedown does not contact any part of the vehicle except the
tiedown provision. Do not use inverted tiedowns if the tiedown bears on the bottom of the
bumper or frame of the vehicle. For example, some trailers do have tiedown provisions that
are mounted below the frame such that inverted tiedowns can be used. Another
consideration is the vehicle ground clearance. To use inverted tiedowns, there must be
enough space under the vehicle for a soldier to adequately secure the tiedowns.
7. Tiedown Provisions
The procedures in this pamphlet generally cover equipment that was manufactured
to meet MIL-STD-209, Interface Standard for Lifting and Tiedown Provisions. MIL-STD-
209 provides for adequate strength tiedown provisions for all modes of transport including
rail. Some equipment requires specialized procedures, which will be described on a MIL-
STD-209 data plate attached to the equipment. MIL-STD-209 is available at:
http://www.tea.army.mil/pubs/nr/deploy/transinstruction/MIL-STD-209K22feb05.pdf
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