TM-55-2350-215-10-15 M60 Series Transportability Guidance Download
Page 58 of 66
TM 55-2350-215-10-15 Table 7-7. Application of Materials for Loading and Securing M60-Series Tanks on General-Purpose Flatcar (Figs. 7-5, 7-6, and 7-7)-Continued Item No. Application N 2 Wire rope, 3/8-in. Wrap gun tube with cushioning materials. Apply wire rope in two complete loops, one around gun tube to left rear lifting eye and the other around gun tube to right-rear lifting eye, and secure ends with three 3/8-inch clips. (Not required if tank has operable external gun-tube brace.) GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS 4. Loading Rules 1A, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 14, 15, 19, 19A, and 19C in section I of the Rules Governing the Loading of Commodities on Open-Top Cars and Trailers, published by the Association of American Railroads, provide applicable guidelines and are mandatory in application. 7-7. Transport of One or Two M60-Series Tanks on 54-Foot DODX Flatcar a. Loads described in this paragraph are based on a flatcar that is 10 feet 4 inches wide, minimum. b. The M60 tank may be placed in the tiedown position on the flatcar by a crane, or may be driven or towed, provided that a suitable ramp or bridge is available. c. After the vehicle is loaded and placed in the tiedown position, the handbrakes should be set. Gearshift lever for the transmission must be placed in neutral position and wire-tied, if practicable. d. When one tank is loaded, it should be loaded in the center area of the 54-foot DODX flatcar. When two tanks are loaded, the gun tube of one tank must be placed about 5°to the right or left of the centerline of the tank. Both tanks must be loaded rear to rear at the center of the flatcar. The tank with the offset gun tube will have the gun tube brace folded down in its normal stow position. The turret rotation lock must be engaged in its position, where the lock teeth match the turret ring gear teeth nearest the 5position of the gun tube (fig 7- 8). The tanks should be placed on the 54-foot flatcar as shown in figure 7-8, with equal spacing (about 30 inches) at each end and between the tank hulls. e. Bill of materials for blocking and tiedown of two M60-series tanks on a 54-foot DODX flatcar is shown in table 7-6. Blocking and tiedown shown in figures 7-5 and 7-6 are compatible with standard loading practices and provide for adequate restraint against the forces encountered during movements at normal speeds. Blocking details are described in figure 7-7. Application of materials for loading and securing the tanks on the flatcar is shown in table 7-7. 7-17