The purpose of this technical committee report is to increase railcar industry awareness of nonvisible surface contamination (NVSC), its impact, and its removal before coating application to the railcar. For the purpose of this report, NVSC is defined as any substance that may affect coating performance and does not leave a visible deposit on a bare or previously coated carbon steel surface. This report discusses how NVSC may have a harmful effect on the performance and lifespan of a coating system. This report also identifies types of NVSC and methods for its removal.

This report is intended for use by asset owners, specifiers, coating manufacturers, inspectors, and applicator contractors.