How did we miss this? Almost 8 hours without any posting
Explosion at world's largest railyard in Nebraska prompts evacuations because of heavy toxic smoke (msn.com)
Found some pictures
Train car carrying toxic perchloric acid explodes in Nebraska rail yard: Evacuation orders issued for four mile radius as huge plume of smoke fills sky above North Platte (dailymail.co.uk)
Local report
Rail car carrying acid explodes at Bailey Yard, downwind area evacuated for five hours - The North Platte Bulletin
Just what is needed, another high viz explosion. Perchloric acid is evidently susceptible to high heat, although weather in NPLT has been generally mild September temperatures of late. So I guess containers as well as tank cars represent a problem with their commodities, although will be interesting to hear what triggered this event.
Short of rough handling, sounds like this one was completely out of the control of the railroad. They don't put the contents in the containers.
Consider if it had happened near the rear of a high-priority IM train, running at 60+ MPH. The swath of exposure would be huge.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Standing car exploding - Need big 'splainin' Lucy!
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Is this how it played out? Standing cut of well cars at west end of yard. Container somehow catches fire then explodes at around 1200 CDT. Witnessed by RR and visitors in tower. Catches fire to other equipment. Fire dept called and possible hazardous smoke cause evacuation. Fire out about 1700 CDT. Evacuation cancelled.
Was container on top or bottom? How and what other equipment affected?. When was cut last moved?
According to the various reports other cars which were not defined caught fire amd the car was sitting in its last position for a couple of hours.
Since many containers are shipped under a "Freight All Kinds" rate, it would be likely that the shipper packaged the material at his plant and filled the container with the already packaged material. Except for placarding and hazmat instructions, the various roads involved in the move would not know the contents.
When a conductor arrives at a yard and the train is terminating, he/she is required to turn over all of his paperwork to the yardmaster which includes the waybills showing the contents of each car and or container.
caldreamerWhen a conductor arrives at a yard and the train is terminating, he/she is required to turn over all of his paperwork to the yardmaster which includes the waybills showing the contents of each car and or container.
The shipping papers for intermodal shipments, for the most part DO NOT SPECIFY the actual material being shipped. Freight All Kinds - is not a specific description of the contents of intermodal shipments.
caldreamer When a conductor arrives at a yard and the train is terminating, he/she is required to turn over all of his paperwork to the yardmaster which includes the waybills showing the contents of each car and or container.
The UP hasn't used paper waybills since the late 1980's and the yard has all the "paperwork" for the train when it's still hundreds of miles away.
Computers.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
dehusman caldreamer When a conductor arrives at a yard and the train is terminating, he/she is required to turn over all of his paperwork to the yardmaster which includes the waybills showing the contents of each car and or container. The UP hasn't used paper waybills since the late 1980's and the yard has all the "paperwork" for the train when it's still hundreds of miles away. Computers.
EuclidSo, does the computer information about the train include the specific information to identify chemicals and their packaging, if any are being shipped on the train?
Below a certain weight/volume, there is no requirement for placarding. As Balt points out, "freight all kinds" covers a lot of ground.
"Brown" has more hazmat onboard than you might think.
tree68 Euclid So, does the computer information about the train include the specific information to identify chemicals and their packaging, if any are being shipped on the train? Below a certain weight/volume, there is no requirement for placarding. As Balt points out, "freight all kinds" covers a lot of ground. "Brown" has more hazmat onboard than you might think.
Euclid So, does the computer information about the train include the specific information to identify chemicals and their packaging, if any are being shipped on the train?
CSX has rules in place to prevent certain kinds of Inhalation Hazardous Materials in Reportable Quantities from being transported through Washington DC. Almost daily Conductors of the primary Northbound UPS train, upon going on duty at Richmond would call and report his train documentation has car(s) indicating that a commodity on the car is restricted through DC. The procedure in place was to get ahold of the Intermodal Dept. who would research the in depth billing of the offending car(s). In every case I was involved with, the offending commodity would end up being a couple of cases of the restricted commodity within a UPS trailer, thus falling far below the threshold of the requirement applying to Reportable Quantities of the commidity. The Conductor would be instructed to proceed with his train.
For now, UP crews carry paper copies of the train list. For mixed load containers the commodity is listed as "mixfrt." If the quantity requires placarding. The train list will have all the hazmat info listed. If the container has multiple types of hazmat, all will be listed.
If the car had not been placed in a train, then in the computer it would be in a track list inventory. Whether someone in the field had a paper copy at the time it happened would depend on if the car was listed to be switched by a yard job. Being in the yard it wouldn't take very long to get complete info on the car. Unless the computers were down.
Jeff
BaltACD caldreamer When a conductor arrives at a yard and the train is terminating, he/she is required to turn over all of his paperwork to the yardmaster which includes the waybills showing the contents of each car and or container. The shipping papers for intermodal shipments, for the most part DO NOT SPECIFY the actual material being shipped. Freight All Kinds - is not a specific description of the contents of intermodal shipments.
Do we know for sure that this Perchloric acid was being handled as Freight of all Kinds? Or is this just an assumption? It seems a bit odd that dangerous hazmat could be shipped with the packaging and precautions left to the discretion of the shipper.
EuclidDo we know for sure that this Perchloric acid was being handled as Freight of all Kinds? Or is this just an assumption? It seems a bit odd that dangerous hazmat could be shipped with the packaging and precautions left to the discretion of the shipper.
I think we're just covering possible bases, particularly if the container was not placarded. At this point, we don't that that it wasn't.
Given that the material was apparently identified early on, one might be safe in assuming that it was in a placarded container or that the contents were otherwise identified. Actually, CHEMTREC may have had that information based on the ID of the container.
Per a news report, the perchloric acid was in 55 gallon drums. That might tend to indicate that the container in question was fully loaded with them.
The container on top of the one in question contained memory foam - which is going to make for a pretty smoky fire.
The MSDS (SDS) for perchloric acid mentions that it may react with metal. (Opinion Alert) Perhaps one of the containers failed (however slightly) and the resultant corrosion caused a larger release.
(Opinion Alert) If this was a mixed shipment, there could have been a reaction with some other substance.
We'll have to wait until more information is forthcoming, if it's made public.
tree68 Euclid Do we know for sure that this Perchloric acid was being handled as Freight of all Kinds? Or is this just an assumption? It seems a bit odd that dangerous hazmat could be shipped with the packaging and precautions left to the discretion of the shipper. I think we're just covering possible bases, particularly if the container was not placarded. At this point, we don't that that it wasn't. Given that the material was apparently identified early on, one might be safe in assuming that it was in a placarded container or that the contents were otherwise identified. Actually, CHEMTREC may have had that information based on the ID of the container. Per a news report, the perchloric acid was in 55 gallon drums. That might tend to indicate that the container in question was fully loaded with them. The container on top of the one in question contained memory foam - which is going to make for a pretty smoky fire. The MSDS (SDS) for perchloric acid mentions that it may react with metal. (Opinion Alert) Perhaps one of the containers failed (however slightly) and the resultant corrosion caused a larger release. (Opinion Alert) If this was a mixed shipment, there could have been a reaction with some other substance. We'll have to wait until more information is forthcoming, if it's made public.
Euclid Do we know for sure that this Perchloric acid was being handled as Freight of all Kinds? Or is this just an assumption? It seems a bit odd that dangerous hazmat could be shipped with the packaging and precautions left to the discretion of the shipper.
Perchloric acid is a strong peroxide former -- those crystals are peroxides, and shock-sensitive, and explosive.
For a discussion in general:
https://safety.fsu.edu/safety_manual/supporting_docs/Peroxides%20in%20depth%20discussion.pdf
Lot of explaiing. My Out of date Haz Mat book not available. Was shipper's book current? Were all persons that hamdled this Haz Mat current and not lacking recurrent training? Shipper becomes the target. Did shipper have license to send this product and did shipper have any restrictions?
This product appears to be a Haz Mat explosive.If so probably be plackard one of the 3 explosive number 1s? What was the total weight of the whole product shipment?. Was it shipped in one container or many required to not exeed a certain weight? Any separation requirements?
Was or Did driver examine load before it was sealed? Any possible load shifts along the way truck or railcar?
Was product free of contaminants to restrict combusstion?
UN1873
The Emergency Response Guide can be found here:
https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2020-08/ERG2020-WEB.pdf
One SDS I found has the NFPA 704 as Health: 3, Flammability: 0, Instability: 3, with an oxidizer modifier.
They expand on that with:
Reactive Hazard - Yes
Stability - Oxidizer: Contact with combustible/organic material may cause fire.
Conditions to Avoid - Incompatible products. Excess heat. Combustible material.
Incompatible Materials - Strong oxidizing agents, Finely powdered metals, Organic materials, Amines, Alcohols, Strong reducing agents, Combustible material
So, by itself, it's not a fire hazard. But if you combine it with certain other things, watch out.
EuclidThe shipping papers for intermodal shipments, for the most part DO NOT SPECIFY the actual material being shipped. Freight All Kinds - is not a specific description of the contents of intermodal shipments. Do we know for sure that this Perchloric acid was being handled as Freight of all Kinds? Or is this just an assumption? It seems a bit odd that dangerous hazmat could be shipped with the packaging and precautions left to the discretion of the shipper.
FAK is a rate making description ONLY.
With very few exceptions shippers must properly describe any and all hazardous materials they offer for transportation. Since UP was able to identify the material quickly, I conclude that the material was properly described as required.
Mac McCulloch
Former Bureau of Explosives Inspector
PNWRMNM Euclid The shipping papers for intermodal shipments, for the most part DO NOT SPECIFY the actual material being shipped. Freight All Kinds - is not a specific description of the contents of intermodal shipments. Do we know for sure that this Perchloric acid was being handled as Freight of all Kinds? Or is this just an assumption? It seems a bit odd that dangerous hazmat could be shipped with the packaging and precautions left to the discretion of the shipper. FAK is a rate making description ONLY. With very few exceptions shippers must properly describe any and all hazardous materials they offer for transportation. Since UP was able to identify the material quickly, I conclude that the material was properly described as required. Mac McCulloch Former Bureau of Explosives Inspector
Euclid The shipping papers for intermodal shipments, for the most part DO NOT SPECIFY the actual material being shipped. Freight All Kinds - is not a specific description of the contents of intermodal shipments. Do we know for sure that this Perchloric acid was being handled as Freight of all Kinds? Or is this just an assumption? It seems a bit odd that dangerous hazmat could be shipped with the packaging and precautions left to the discretion of the shipper.
We seem to be talking about two types of paperwork. One is the waybill, the other is the train list. Paper waybills are no longer used. It's all in the computer. The train list is what the crews carry, or access on the railroad issued electronic device. (They want and think they can go paperless, but I think it's not practical for all items.) The train list, still called by some as the "wheel" or "wheel report," is generated by the computer using info from the waybills of the cars. I've looked up a waybill before. It has all the info the old paper ones do, but it doesn't look anything like the old paper ones.
Train lists only have so much room for listing the lading being carried. On a FAK type load, the container will only be listed as MIXFRT. If there is hazmat sufficient to require placards and shipping info, each piece of hazmat will have all the info, just as a tank car of hazmat would. If their are multiple classifications of hazmat in the same container, each would be listed separately and each have the hazmat shipping info.
In an ordinary container of mixed freight, no hazmat, the crew won't know the contents of said container, but the railroad does. The crew in this case doesn't need to know whether it's loaded with anything from soup to nuts. Only that it won't go "boom" if involved in a derailment.
If the car, with the container, wasn't in a train or not yet scheduled to be moved by a yard engine, no one in the yard might have a list of any kind. The first person to see the smoke would immediately call the yardmaster or other authority and say there's a car on fire on track whatever. The closer the observer is the more details can be given. The yardmaster will then look up the tracks, maybe even adjacent tracks to be sure, looking for cars with nasty stuff in them. A yard is probably the best place for something like this to happen. It's the one location that complete info can be quickly accessed and proper authorities notified.
What I recall from my railroad days is that the commodity in a freight car was identified because the rate depended on what was being shipped. In the case of a container, what is being shipped is the container, not it's content. So then identifying the content reverts back to the rules on shipping hazardous material. Getting container content, even an accurate weight, was a problem when there was an issue. They started using scales built into the container lifting machines to get weights so they knew which container to put on top and to not overload the rail car.
Here is a link that describes an accidental explosion of Perchloric acid:
https://www.jst.umn.edu/learning-experience-reports/past-lers/perchloric-acid-explosion
Interestingly, the explosion occurred after the train had been stopped for some hours. Among other precautions, this document states: “Again NEVER heat perchloric acid even in diluted solutions”
I don’t know how much heat is too much, but I wonder about the interior of a metal shipping container standing still in the hot sun of a clear summer day. I also wonder how much space there is for the Perchloric acid to expand as it warms up inside of the 55 gallon drums if they are sealed tight.
And I wonder if Perchloric acid is routinely shipped this way, or if this may have been the first time.
EuclidAnd I wonder if Perchloric acid is routinely shipped this way, or if this may have been the first time.
I would opine that this was hardly the first time. The SDS I found emphasized keeping it away from steel, etc, meaning the drums were likely lined with a corrosion resistant substance.
My impression is that something failed, such as one of the drums or the corrosion protective lining therein.
49usc172.102 (the hazardous materials table), perchloric acid concentrated up to 72 percent has to be placarded. That means the the container would have to have 2 placards, one poison (6.1) and one for corrosive (8). If perchloric acid comes in contact with any metal it can produce metalic pechlorates which can explode according to the SDS for perchloric acid. We do not know what material was used for these drums, so we are guessing.
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