Propane

[Ringo58]

I want to include a propane facility on my layout ( the walthers central gas and supply ) but im not sure how to position it. Is it common for trains to fill or unload from the mainline? or should there be a siding for the cars to sit empty

[chutton01]

Propane - while I am sure that somebody will provide a counter-example, every image of a modern era rail served propane facility I've seen has it's own siding(s) (with derails, security fencing, pollution control equipment, etc). I suppose if a former main has been truncated and now just serves the propane facility...but in reality for that case the mainline has become the siding.
I wonder if there are images from the US shale oil boom of the recent past, when things may have been a bit looser (nah, there were plenty of liability lawyers around in the 2010s).
OTOH, something like stone or grain I can see being loaded on the mainline for a shortline or low usage branch during peak season. Sorry,  no examples of that right now.

[dehusman]

Ringo58

Is it common for trains to fill or unload from the mainline? or should there be a siding for the cars to sit empty

Absolutely not from the main track.  The propane tank cars have to be hooked up for hours to unload, there has to be derail protection while they are unloading, etc, etc.

 

[kasskaboose]

 I have the propane facility also and remember reading in Jeff Wilson's book on industries (vol 1 or 2) that propane is a great siding indusury.

[BigDaddy]

Without any definite knowledge of the propane industry, what could possibly go wrong unloading and storing propane on the mainline? 

[ndbprr]

Many years ago when I was employed by a steel mill I was at our soaking pits and could smell propane gas.  Across the street were three cars of propane being unloaded into our gas system. I wondered if I would survive the next time someone opened a pit cover to have a very hot ingot removed.  When I called my boss he informed me it was my duty to go find the leak and solve the problem. I expected to be cinderized but I went.  Found out there was a leaking drum of methyl mercapten which is what they put in gas to give it an odor. One drop per million cubic feet.  Relief as to the cause is an undersatement

[dehusman]

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[dehusman]

We had a similar thing back in the 1980's N of houston, we had a tank car set out that was "leaking gas".  Fire Dept. evacuated several houses and businesses.  They eventually figured out that it was an empty ethyl mercaptan car, and when they buttoned the car up after unloading it, they wiped up some drips and let the rag in the manway housing (dome).  Those few drips caused the smell.

[denveroutlaws06]

Here is a spot in Hutchinson,KS that unloads propane. 

https://goo.gl/maps/AxozWig2mDvXupZP6

[chutton01]

denveroutlaws06

Here is a spot in Hutchinson,KS that unloads propane. 

Yes, a fairly sizable faciility that has it's own sidings off the main, which I am certain is the norm.

Here is a smaller facility: Paraco Gas in Riverhead, NY. One unloading track (3 spots), 8 storage tanks (could selectively compress to 6 or even 4 tanks - 1 grouping), the usual unloading facilities & support buildings, and a fence around the area - and the plant has a siding off the mainline, no unloading on the mainline here.  I can't seem to see a derail (nor blue flags for that matter), but Google Street View is not always HD 1080p...

[mbinsewi]

chutton01

Here is a smaller facility

That looks to be the perfect model railroad size.  Nice link, thanks! 

There is a new facility in Waupaca, WI., I can't find pictures, doesn't show up on Google satillite yet, but it has two storage tracks, and from what I'm told, it might be just a little bigger than chutton01's link.

Mike.

[zugmann]

chutton01

  I can't seem to see a derail (nor blue flags for that matter), but Google Street View is not always HD 1080p...

That pipe coming from the switch stand should lead to the derail.  Lot of those places have 2 derails - the RR-operated one, and an industry owned one for when they hook up the car. 

 

Newer places require a split rail type derail (at least on our RR - I'm thinking it may be a FRA thing), plus the unloading spots must be so many feet away from the mainline.  We had a place open up a LPG unloading facility on an existing siding, and they had to move the tracks on the siding away from our line.