Owner: Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD)

Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD), operator of the South Shore Line, a passenger commuter railroad, uses Applied Bolting's Squirter DTI's to make sure the bolts which hold the bolster anchor rod support to their cars are tightened correctly. NICTD is currently performing a Mid-Life rebuild program for their passenger cars, which were purchased in 1982 and 1992. The bolster anchor rod support holds the bolster in place. Since these are passenger cars, a smooth ride is critical which is accomplished by using an air bag suspension, which is mounted between the bolster and the car body. The bolster in turn, holds the actual truck in place.

Squirter DTI's were chosen because they aid in assembly consistency as well as providing an indicator that shows when the bolts are properly tensioned. The DTI's also make assembly easier; simply tighten until they "squirt". Prior to using the DTI's, numerous in-house tests were conducted to ensure that the bolts were tightened to at least the OEM torque specifications when the DTI's were used. During regular inspections, none of bolts using the DTI's have been found to have worked loose.