How do I model an oil/waste loading/unloading facility supporting an industry?

[mondotrains]

Hi Guys,
I have a siding at one of my industries where I plan to spot tank cars next to 3 different storage tanks, two vertical ones and a horizontally placed tank. My thinking is that the industry will receive and store fuel oil in one and store waste liquids in the other two. Thus, tank cars loaded with fuel oil can be spotted and also empty tank cars can be spotted to take away waste. I've modeled the storage tanks and used some stuff from a Walther's piping kit to provide valves and pipes which lead to the bases of the storage tanks, making them look lke they head underground.

My question is: How does the prototype unload or load tank cars. Do I need to show a hose such as found at gas stations which the brakeman would use to place inside the top of the tank car? Or, do tank cars get unloaded underneath somehow? I have a small building my buddy placed near the storage tanks which he says will model a pump house. In my model railroad world, do I need to show pipes going from the storage tanks to the pump house or can I just assume that everything "happens" underground? I don't have room for something elaborate like the Walther's oil loading platforms.

Thanks for any help you folks can provide.
Mondo

[Anonymous]

Typically, tank cars have some sort of unloading rack consisting of platforms at the level of the top of the tankcars, sometimes with gangways that lower so a worker can walk on top of the tankcar without climbing its ladders. There would be two hoses (one for pumping in, one for sucking out) running along the gangway which connect to the connecty-things on the tankcar. The hoses would connect to pipes that run parallel to the personnel platforms to the pumphouse and then tanks. However, it really depends on the type of car that is being loaded/unloaded. Some tankcars have valves on the bottom for gravity unloading. Facilities for these would have a pipe running parallel to the tracks on the ground, with hoses to the tracks that connect to the tankcars. The pipes go through the pumphouse to the tanks.

For your setup, you'd probably want to run a pipe next to the tracks to your pumphouse, and have two or three valves on it (hoses typically aren't left connected if they're not unloading). The pipes from the pumphouse to the tanks would be underground.

[Anonymous]

I know that Walthers makes an oil loading platform kit (933-3104) for HO trains. They also have one for trucks (933-3169).
Reed

[mondotrains]

Thanks for the input. I'll follow your suggestion about running pipes to the pumphouse along side the track.

Thank you again,
Mondo

QUOTE: Originally posted by lemscate

Typically, tank cars have some sort of unloading rack consisting of platforms at the level of the top of the tankcars, sometimes with gangways that lower so a worker can walk on top of the tankcar without climbing its ladders. There would be two hoses (one for pumping in, one for sucking out) running along the gangway which connect to the connecty-things on the tankcar. The hoses would connect to pipes that run parallel to the personnel platforms to the pumphouse and then tanks. However, it really depends on the type of car that is being loaded/unloaded. Some tankcars have valves on the bottom for gravity unloading. Facilities for these would have a pipe running parallel to the tracks on the ground, with hoses to the tracks that connect to the tankcars. The pipes go through the pumphouse to the tanks.

For your setup, you'd probably want to run a pipe next to the tracks to your pumphouse, and have two or three valves on it (hoses typically aren't left connected if they're not unloading). The pipes from the pumphouse to the tanks would be underground.

[cwclark]

I deal with waste oil in my industry, though we send it out by tanker truck instead of by rail, the big thing these days is containment...Our oil waste containment yard must be diked so that no liquid hits the ground outside of the dike. Another component we have is an oil centifuge...It is a device that spins the oil at very high speeds to remove the water from it...the centifuged oil is then pumped into one tank and the oily water is pumped into another...The unloading / loading hoses are as follows...The unloading hose is always located at the bottom of the tank while the loading hose is piped from the bottom of the tank to the top of the tank...There is also no vent on the tank except for a vacuum breaker on top of the tank to contain any oil fumes that can emit from the tank...When the oil is either loaded or unloaded an oil containment kit is present with 55 gal drums of oil absorbing "cat liter" that can absorb the spill if there is one and a few more 55 gal barrels in the area for oily rags. The barrels are kept sealed with a spring loaded lid that slams shut after it is used to keep the danger of fire to a minimum...I hope this helps...Chuck[:D]

[Anonymous]

A note for accuracy, depending on the era you are modeling (1970 or later) environmental regulations would require spill containment at track level (grates over a concrete collection pan, this should be easy to model in a tight space), and the waste tanks would have to be clearly marked as such, with waste descriptions, ID number, hazardous waste labeling (if a hazardous waste), etc. The oil tank must be labeled as well, with product type and ID numbers. Tank volume markings are required on all.

[ericsp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mondotrains


My question is: How does the prototype unload or load tank cars. Do I need to show a hose such as found at gas stations which the brakeman would use to place inside the top of the tank car?

The brakeman would never attach or detach the hoses. If he did the EPA, FRA, and insurance companies would probably come in and shut down the factory and the railroad (an exaggeration). If it is hazardous materials, the person would have to be trained to handle those. The manufacturer's insurance company would probably require only trained employees (or contractor) of the manufacturer do anything with the hoses.

Also, if only unloading is going on there may not be any racks, if the tankcar has a bottom unloading valve. There may just be a hose connected to the pipes on the ground by the tracks.

It sounds like the company will ship more material out by rail than they receive by rail. It sounds like they need more tankcars coming in.

[Anonymous]

Hey you can have real fuel, oil, POL, etc. being moved by any one, but when it is leftover, that is waste, the the EPAs move in and you’re in trouble, but going back to the issue, really not many people know how and storage POL plant works or a waste disposal facility operates, as long as you have the tanks ( cut down plastic drain pipes or bent polystyrene) and wire (pipes) of the proper size an colour connecting the pumps, bins, tanks, manyfolds, etc. etc. you are done you could add those telephone LED’s used in cell phones, bicycle led blinkers, glued to fiber optics and voila, you have warning lights. remember to put also a tower for communications with some antennas, blinkers, guy wires, a bunch of people working to clean up some spot so the EPA´s satellite will not spot them, a HAZ MAT vehicle and stuff, lot of empty drums, maybe, open, punctured, oxidized, dirty will look neat. I don’t really like those *** and span, german or european layout they are too perfect. I prefer a very messy dirty, soothed spot that is more realistic an natural. Enjoy your modelling.