I was suprised to see all the tank cars directly behind the locomotive in Mike’s 3-26 picture. I thought the railroads had some kind of rule keeping tank cars away from the locomotve?
Just wondering,
Jack
location of tank cars is directly related to hazmat contents, Hazmat cars cannot be nearer than the 6th car from any locomotive, or occupied caboose or passenger car. If these tanks are empties(although there are hazmat residue restrictions also) or loaded with non-hazmat loads than location does not matter.
I believe the rule just pertains to haz-mat cars, not all tanker cars. For example, in my area there are shippers of beef tallow (essentially beef fat) in tank cars. While I would just as soon one of those didn’t derail in my backyard, it is not a haz-mat.
Thanks guys, that makes sense. I forgot about nonhazardous materials. I guess there’s probably more nonhazardous material out there than hazardous. Thanks again.
you forgot the most important part of this. you are not allowed to have haz-mat no closer than 6 cars from a engine or caboose or pasenger car. IF TRAIN LENGTH ALLOWS. if you have 5 cars 4 haz-mat and 1 boxcar then that is the car between the engine and the haz-mat cars or a train made of all haz-material tank cars you must have at least one buffer car between the hazmat and engines at all times, you also cant have any car next to a haz-mat car that the load could shift and puncture the tank car