When a car that’s used to carry some type of hazmat is empty, is it still considered to be a hazmat car? Do the same rules apply when the car is empty and when it’s loaded?
Mattias
There is virtually always some residue left in an “empty” car, so it will still be considered a hazmat car and remain placarded.
In order to lose the “hazmat” label, the car has to be thoroughly cleaned.
It will be handled the same.
See if this helps.
Not quite.
An empty hazmat car only requires one car of cover and if its empty TIH/PIH can’t be next to a loaded flat car with a shiftable load. Other than that, no restrictions and the empty hazmat car can be used as cover on loaded hazmat cars.
Dave
Ok, then there are some differences.
Ed
Interesting read. I didn’t know that there are hazmat cars that can’t be next to hazmat cars from another category when they’re loaded. The details about buffer cars was also news to me.
I also noted that there are more restrictions for tank cars then other type of cars. I would’ve thought that depended more on the commodity then the type of car.
Mattias
Well, there are different types of hazardous liquids and of hazardous gases, and they must all be carried in tank cars.
Mattias,
Since most of what my carrier handles is petrochemicals, we can always find a few hoppers of plastic in some form for cover cars.
And not all tank cars carry hazardous material.
As Dave pointed out, a lot of the cars, once empty, are cover cars.
TIH and PIH, loaded or empty are not good cover, and can not be placed next to a shiftable load, such as pipe loaded over the top of a gondola, or machinery on a flat car…but if the flatcar has a bulkhead, it can ride next to it.
I stand corrected.
35+ years ago the hazmat restrictions were one page and maybe a chart in the back of the timetable.
Its now a 55 page pamphlet with 2 color fold out charts.
Thinking some more about why hazmat tank cars have more restrictions then other types of hazmat cars, I now realize that it probably has to do with which form the commodity is shipped as. As you said Johnny, in tank cars you have liquids or gases, in other types of cars you ship hazmat in solid form. I guess it’s more harmful to have a leak of hazmat liquids or hazmat gases then a leak of something in solid form. Liquids or gases are probably much harder to collect and might more easily start a chemical reaction.
Mattias
What is a cover car?
UP and BNSF use the term buffer or spacer car…cover car is just the term we use here…
Its more a factor of volume. If you ship flammable liquids in a boxcar it will be in smaller packages. It there is an accident and there is a breach, you will bust open 55 gal drums. With a tank car if there is a breach you bust open a 10,000 gal drum.
The UP uses the term cover cars also.
Yes, and you would rather collect 55 gal then 10,000 gal.
But, aren’t hazmat chemicals transported in covered hoppers too? For those the volume wouldn’t be much different from a tank car.
Mattias
It’s the nature of the hazard itself. Back when I was returning “empty” gas cylinders, I had to be careful not to ship certain gas cylinders together–I do not now recall just what gases were not shipped together. The first shipment I made had a mixture that was not allowed, and the driver who came to pick it up told me that I could n
[quote user=“Deggesty”]
hubbabubba2
dehusman
I guess it’s more harmful to have a leak of hazmat liquids or hazmat gases then a leak of something in solid form. Liquids or gases are probably much harder to collect and might more easily start a chemical reaction.
Its more a factor of volume. If you ship flammable liquids in a boxcar it will be in smaller packages. It there is an accident and there is a breach, you will bust open 55 gal drums. With a tank car if there is a breach you bust open a 10,000 gal drum.
Yes, and you would rather collect 55 gal then 10,000 gal.
But, aren’t hazmat chemicals transported in covered hoppers too? For those the volume wouldn’t be much different from a tank car.
Mattias
It’s the nature of the hazard itself. Back when I was returning “empty” gas cylinders, I had to be
Hazmat of one type or another is shipped in just about every type of car. The requirements are matched to the hazard, the container andn the volume.