1OO UNIT ETHANOL TANKER TRAIN

[CShaveRR]

There are already thousands of ethanol tank cars out there--probably that many built in 2006 alone.  Haven't heard of 100-car trains yet, because I don't believe any receivers are set up to handle that many cars.

Previous posters are correct:  any more than twenty cars of ethanol (car count in combination with other hazmat cars) would make the train a "Key Train", and it would be limited to 50 m.p.h.

No insulation is required on tank cars for ethanol.  As has been stated, explosions are not a worry; fires could be.  (Ethanol burns hot, like a Sterno ought!)

Most railroaders have better things to worry about, such as a realistic reliable source for frozen daquiris (none for me, thanks!).

(Ed, I saw this when you posted it, and am still laughing.)

Chicagorails, you aren't related to a certain journalist (and I use the term loosely) in Pittsburgh, are you?

[ericsp]

Ohhh...what if  a tank car full of ethanol derailed, then fell into a coal mine and exploded...catching the mine, then the entire Appalachian range on fireunderground, therefore acting like a huge oven and causing an extreme amount of global warming, which then causes palm trees to grow in the Antarctic?

Frozen Daiquiris on demand?

Is there any training on how to handle that much frozen Daiquiris?

Ed, are you writing a movie?

[edblysard]

Anyone know Steven Sengals number?

And we have to have a cute orphan in it too....

[CShaveRR]

In the current issue of TRAINS there is an article about the Tank Car of the Future.

The new tank cars are to be highly resistant to damage and leaking for Hazardous Chemicals. I saw no mention if these standards will apply to Ethanol Tank Cars.

Andrew

 It appears to me that the standards are meant for cars intended to carry commodities that are Inhalation Hazards.  Chlorine is the most obvious in this category, but similar cars also carry sulfur dioxide, and probably other commodities.  Anhydrous ammonia is probably the most widely-transported inhalation hazard, but it goes in a larger tank car.  Don't know whether those cars have new standards as well.

Safer tank cars are really nothing new.  The chemical companies themselves (DuPont and Olin immediately come to mind) have been specifying cars built to higher standards for their own use for some time now.  How the new standards compare to their standards, I don't know.

[txhighballer]

Don't worry Ed.You guys handle stuff (like candy stripers for example) that would make a lotta folks pucker enough to make diamonds....

[edblysard]

One of the things that irks me some is that folks are quick to comment on the few accidents that do happen, usually offering broad, generalized suggestions on how we "should" handle this stuff, but never mention the millions of miles we move haz mat every year with some of the most noxious chemicals known to man without incident, often right through their neighborhood.

Take a look at the placard on the car in my avatar....

[caldreamer]

Commodities that need to be kept either hot (liquid sulfur, asphault, etc) or cold (LPG, liquid oxygen, etc) need insualted cars.  Other hazardous materials (Ethanol, gasoline, chlorine, acids, etc) do not need insualted tank cars.