I recently saw some tank cars that had their reporting marks stenciled on top of the tank (as well as painted in the usual location, of course). Maybe this has been going on for a long time and I’m just behind the times. Of course, this is the first time I’ve been in position to see something like this in a long time too!
So, is this something recent or has it been practice for a while?
I noticed that only some tanks had these markings. Is this a new govt regulation that we will see spread to all tank cars?
What is the purpose, tracking from aerial photo, other?
It is actually a pretty good idea, When you are on top and accessing product to sample for testing, it was tough when there were a large number of samples(like edible oils, in different cars) to be done, and having to tote them around in baskets or your pocket. Having the numers on top would really be a help.
I’m not the guy who has ready access to lettering rules and regulations, but in my experience these topside numbers are always at the A end of the tank (that’s the end opposite the handbrake).
One company, PCS Nitrogen, does this one better–in addition to all other places where reporting marks and numbers are regularly found, they are repeated twice on each end of the tank, about 45 degrees from the horizontal in each direction. I guess that keeps the responders from having to tilt their heads when looking at a derailed car end-on. This seems to have been done on a lot of cars leased by this company, as well as the cars with the many reporting marks of their own.
And the same reason cop cars have their unit numbers on the roof.
It is easier to id the car from the air, and in the case of railcars, if a derailment is in a spot hard to reach from the ground, being able to id the cars from a small plane or chopper is a must.
I sell graphics for railcars (among other things). In fact, one of my major accounts is a tank car manufacturer. I have not asked why they put them on top, to me it is a no brainer, due to the hazmat situation and derailment possibilities.
Covered hopper cars and other railcars do not generally have the top unit number. Certain trucking fleets which handle high value products will have a roof top unit number, although GPS units are a much more reliable method of tracking.
Regarding the comment of using the same stencil and just a bit more paint, nearly all of new and refurbished railcars use decals now instead of paint stencils due to the labor intensity of applying the paint, the colorfast nature of the graphics, and VOC emission controls.
I love the smell of printed decals in the morning.
I understand the derailment aspect of placing the numbers on the top, but I thought of another safety reason for the number on the top. If your job is to load these cars from an aerial platform that runs alongside the tops of the cars parked in your siding, imagine having to lean over the railing to see the car number so you fill (or open the vents) the correct car in a long string. Or worse walk all the way to the end, climb down, walk back to find the correct car, count cars as you walk back to the end, climb back up the platform, walk and count cars and then fill the correct car. To me, it makes sense to have the number on top for easy reference in a situation like that.
As much as the idea of being able to read the car number when the car is derailed appeals to me, it would seem to me that there would be much more call to see the number while the car is being loaded.
Besides, I’d rather see the car being loaded, than laying on its side…
