Revised Railroad Tank Car Damage Assessment Guidelines for Pressure Tank Cars

摘要

Under Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Contract No. DTFR 53-93-C-00001, Task Order 115, Transportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI), a subsidiary of the Association of American Railroads (AAR), conducted a research project titled, 'Damage Assessment of Tank Cars Involved in Accidents.' Phase I of the project evaluated the validity of guidelines currently used to assess the severity of damage to pressure tank cars caused by derailments. In February 1993, AAR/TTCI produced a handbook on emergency response titled, Field Product Removal Methods for Tank Cars. AAR/TTCI developed the handbook for FRA under contract DTFR 53-82-C-00282, Task Order 31, and produced it for emergency response personnel who deal with tank cars carrying hazardous materials that have been damaged in accidents. The publication and subsequent use of this handbook has pointed to the need for a companion handbook that identifies proven and reliable damage assessment procedures. Since 1985, AAR/TTCI and other organizations have used a set of guidelines developed by AAR in the late 1970s to teach emergency response personnel how to make judgments in the field as to the severity of damage to tank cars involved in accidents. AAR developed these guidelines to help emergency responders decide when tank cars carrying hazardous materials shipped under pressure can be safely rerailed, unloaded in place, or whether nature should be left to take its course. Recently, AAR/TTCI reviewed the guidelines to determine how or if they were validated. After consulting with experts in the tank car, railroad, and chemical industries, TTCI has determined that the guidelines were developed by several individuals who are no longer available to substantiate them. To better ensure the safety of emergency response personnel and the public-at- large, responders need some sound, qualitative evaluation techniques which they can safely and reliably use to make these decisions. Compiling this information in an easy-to-understand handbook to assist emergency response personnel in making critical decisions is an important effort that will significantly improve the safety of such operations.