(a) Mounting. Wheels shall be securely mounted on axles. Prick punching or shimming the wheel fit will not be permitted. The diameter of wheels on the same axle shall not vary more than 3⁄32 inch.

(b) Gage. Wheels used on standard gage track will be out of gage if the inside gage of flanges, measured on base line is less than 53 inches or more than 533⁄8 inches. Wheels used on less than standard gage track will be out of gage if the inside gage of flanges, measured on base line, is less than the relevant track gage less 31⁄2 inches or more than the relevant track gage less 31⁄8 inches.

(c) Flange distance variance. The distance back to back of flanges of wheels mounted on the same axle shall not vary more than 1⁄4 inch.

(d) Tire thickness. Wheels may not have tires with a minimum thickness less than that indicated in the table in this paragraph (d). When retaining rings are used, measurements of tires to be taken from the outside circumference of the ring, and the minimum thickness of tires may be as much below the limits specified earlier in this paragraph (d) as the tires extend between the retaining rings, provided it does not reduce the thickness of the tire to less than 11⁄8 inches from the throat of flange to the counterbore for the retaining rings. The required minimum thickness for tires, by wheel center diameter and weight per axle, is as follows:

(e) Tire width. Flanged tires shall be no less than 51⁄2 inches wide for standard gage and no less than 5 inches wide for narrow gage. Plain tires shall be no less than 6 inches wide for standard gage and no less than 51⁄2 inches wide for narrow gage.