SAFETY--Use of a Stand-Up Cable-Car Retrofit Kits

To: "  WRD Archive File, Reston, VA "<wrd-archive>
cc: "Melvin Lew, Hydrologist, Reston, VA "<mlew>,
        "Carole Nethaway, Secretary (OA), Reston, VA "<ccnethaw>
Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 15:01:36 -0500
From: "Carole Nethaway, Secretary (OA), Reston, VA "<ccnethaw>


In Reply Refer To:
Mail Stop 405

                                   MEMORANDUM

                                                       March 16, 1998


To:             District Chiefs
                Chief, Branch of Regional Research - ER, CR, WR
                Chief, Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility
                Chief, National Water Quality Laboratory
                Chief, Yucca Mountain Project Branch
                Chief, Research Hydrologist, CVO

From:           Catherine L. Hill
                Assistant Chief Hydrologist for Operations

Subject:        SAFETY--Use of a Stand-Up Cable-Car Retrofit Kits

This memorandum recommends the use of a stand-up cable-car retrofit kit 
to strengthen critical structural members.  The cable-car retrofit kit 
will provide for the improved safety of Water Resources Division 
employees or observers that use cableways.

The cable-car retrofit effort resulted when the WRD Cableway Safety 
Committee identified conditions, which would exist when large debris 
snags the sounding weight or current meter during flood flows.  A 
significant force on a sounding reel cable and the subsequent forces on a 
standup cable car can produce deformation or failure of some of the car's 
structural members.  A loading study of standup cable cars by a 
consulting firm revealed deformation of the hanger bars of the car during 
maximum reel loading conditions.  As a result, several of the cable car 
structural members were redesigned.  A 1500 lbs. load test conducted by 
the Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility (HIF) on a cable car fitted with 
prototypes of the redesigned members produced no significant deformation 
of the cable car.

The cable car retrofit kit (part number 2601030) is available from 
the HIF.  The kit contains a total of nine redesigned or upgraded 
structural members and necessary hardware.  The cost of the kit is 
$ 376.00.  The retrofit procedures allow field personnel to easily 
upgrade cable cars already in field use to withstand maximum 
sounding-reel loading conditions.  Technical information on the Standup 
Cable Car Retrofit Kit can be found at the HIF Technical Information 
Sheets web site at URL:

http://wwwhif.er.usgs.gov/uo/tis.html

The HIF-CSS II manual contains ordering procedures for the kit.  New 
standup cable cars ordered from the HIF will include the redesigned 
members.  The HIF-CSS II manual can be accessed from the Hydrologic 
Instrumentation Facility Homepage at URL:

http://wwwhif.er.usgs.gov/uo/

If you have questions regarding the use of the kit, please contact Mike 
Zalants at (601) 688-1572, or send email to mzalants.

cc:     CH, MS 409
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        Chief NAWQA, MS 413
        Chief DODEC, MS 414
        Chief BOS, MS 405
        RSO's
        SO's
        Karen T. Ray, HIF  
        WRD General Files, MS 402
        Operations, MS 405
        Chron, MS 405

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