Y47 Pin

A Y47 pin is the vertical pin that holds an F-type or EF-type coupler into its yoke. It is the retaining pin of the draft connection, securing the coupler shank to the yoke so the two work as one assembly.

Where It Sits

The pin passes vertically through the connection where the coupler shank enters the yoke, inside the draft sill at the end of the car. With an F-type or EF-type coupler, the shank and the yoke are joined by this pin rather than being permanently formed together. The same pin is used to hold a drawbar into its yoke, since a drawbar connects to the draft system in the same way a coupler shank does.

What It Does

The Y47 pin transmits the draft and buff loads between the coupler or drawbar shank and the yoke, so that pulling and pushing forces pass through the pinned joint and on into the draft gear and draft sill. Because it is a pinned connection rather than a fixed one, it allows the coupler or drawbar to be removed when the pin is driven out. This is why separating drawbar-connected cars is a shop task: the Y47 pin must be removed with tools rather than released by hand.

Inspection

As the retaining pin for the draft connection, a worn, bent, or missing Y47 pin is a serious defect, since failure could release the coupler or drawbar. The pin and its retention are inspected with the rest of the draft system under the AAR interchange rules and field manual.