I shot this train in Staples, Minnesota, last night. The tank cars had red placards on them, but I didn’t write down the number on the placards. This was a manifest train, probably an H or M train, with a number of boxcars and covered hoppers in the train along with the tank cars shown and others further back. I took the photo as he was dropping off a couple of cars from the middle of the train in the Staples yard, that’s why the train is backed into the yard. After coupling up to the balance of the train he headed west again.
I thought that when tank cars carrying dangerous material were in a train, there had to be buffer cars between the locomotive consist and the tank cars, am I mistaken? Thanks for any input.
A combustable car has red placards but is not required to be 5 cars from occupied locomotives. A simple way to tell is the combustable cars have a white triangle at the bottom of the placard, a flamable card is red on the bottom and requires seperation by 5 cars.
Lots of possibilities here, and be assured that no crew that knows what it’s doing would take a train out in violation of car placement rules. Therefore…
The cars may be empty. Placards do not have to be removed from an empty car. This is not supposed to affect placement (you see a placard, you be governed accordingly), but this crew may be very familiar with the cars and commodities involved here.
Red placards do not always signify commodities that require buffer cars. Additionally, red-and-white placards are used for “combustible” liquids, that have no placement restrictions whatsoever.
As I said, trust the crews on this one. They could get into plenty of hot water for taking out a train in violation of their company’s hazmat rules. I’m not sure whether there are federal rules governing the placement of these cars, but I’m sure the railroad’s own rules (we have a whole book of them on the UP) incorporate the federal rules, if any, in these matters.
There are times that you do not have 5 cars for use as BUFFERS. Here in Streator the NS serves an Ethonal plant someplace on the old Wasbash line between here and Hennipin. Well the most Buffers I have ever seen is 2.
Empty flammable cars can be used as cover cars if there is one non haz mat car between them and the locomotive…if no such car is available, then you can use the empty flammables, but must pick up one non hazmat/non placard cover car at the first avaliable location en route if possible.
Forgot to include a question in my other post, while transporting hazardous materials the shipping papers listing the item or items in the load must be within reach of the driver while driving. Does that rule apply to the engineer?
What’s in play in those cases is the phrase, “When train length permits.” If the train’s consist has 5 cars that can be used, you need to use them. If you don’t have 5, you use what you have. At least one is required.
No that is what the conductor is for i very seldom see the paper work i look at tonnge and how long i am sometimes i may look at what is in a car but its not needed. the conductor takes care off all paper work and make sure the train is ready to roll
The conductor or engine foreman is responsible for the paperwork, including the train sheet, shipping papers, hazmat info and train placement…in his or her absence, the engineer is responsible.
There are joint responsibilities…check a copy of the current GCOR and Norac rule books.
