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From page 53... ... 53 Shipments of hazardous materials have long been transported by rail, governed by regulations and shaped by industry practices that accommodate the freight rail industry's common carrier obligations. This chapter begins with an overview of the main elements of the regulatory framework established for ensuring the safe transportation of hazardous commodities generally by rail and specifically with respect to flammable and cryogenic materials. Read the entire page →
From page 54... ... 54 PREPARING FOR LNG BY RAIL TANK CAR vigilant in monitoring the safety performance of hazardous materials new to rail shipping and in taking precautionary steps for safety assurance. Consideration is then given to the special conditions that have been applied by regulators to shipping LNG by rail in portable tanks and in rail tank cars. Read the entire page →
From page 55... ... TRANSPORTATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AND PERFORMANCE 55 pounds for solids, and 1,000 pounds for gases.1 In addition to portable tanks and rail tank cars, barge tankers and cargo tank motor vehicles are types of bulk packaging. Ocean-going tank vessels that carry hazardous materials are regulated by the U.S. Read the entire page →
From page 56... ... 56 PREPARING FOR LNG BY RAIL TANK CAR Train Operations Once the railroad accepts a tank car, it is legally liable for its safe transportation and for any damages caused by a crash or other incident en route.3 Regulations that govern switching (49 CFR § 174.83) and the position of tank cars in a train (49 CFR § 174.85) Read the entire page →
From page 57... ... TRANSPORTATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AND PERFORMANCE 57 Subpart I) Read the entire page →
From page 58... ... 58 PREPARING FOR LNG BY RAIL TANK CAR The safety training should cover emergency response, measures to protect employees from the specific hazard, and methods and procedures for avoiding accidents (49 CFR § 172.704(a) Read the entire page →
From page 59... ... TRANSPORTATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AND PERFORMANCE 59 SPECIAL CONDITIONS: THE CASE OF HIGH-HAZARD FLAMMABLE TRAINS The regulatory requirements and industry recommended practices summarized above have emerged over decades of experience transporting hazardous materials by rail and other modes. In some cases the requirements and practices were put in place in response to tragedies; for instance, speed restrictions were imposed on trains transporting tank cars containing poison gases after a derailment of chlorine cars killed nine, injured hundreds, and forced thousands of residents to evacuate their homes in Graniteville, South Carolina, in 2005.7 In many other cases, the requirements were established in a more proactive manner in recognition of the special risks posed by hazardous materials shipments and the importance of avoiding harm. Read the entire page →
From page 60... ... 60 PREPARING FOR LNG BY RAIL TANK CAR used for routing trains containing cars loaded with poison gases toxic by inhalation (TIH) , as shown in Box 5-1. Read the entire page →
From page 61... ... TRANSPORTATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AND PERFORMANCE 61 appropriate state and tribal officials of the estimated number of HHFTs per week, their routes, emergency response information, and a point of contact. SPECIAL CONDITIONS FOR MOVING LNG BY RAIL It is interesting that FRA's first approval for transporting LNG by rail in UN-T75 portable tanks was granted to the Alaska Railroad Corporation in October 2015, shortly after PHMSA's issuance of HM-251 in May of that year. Read the entire page →
From page 62... ... 62 PREPARING FOR LNG BY RAIL TANK CAR not received the tank car within 20 days from the date of shipment, the shipper must notify the FRA (49 CFR § 173.319(a) Read the entire page →
From page 63... ... TRANSPORTATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AND PERFORMANCE 63 FRA Approval: FEC/Florida FRA Approval: ARRC/Alaska PHMSA Special Permit: ETS/PA-NJ 2020 Regulations Limits on Trains 2 per day 2 per week No Not applicable Position in Train Car placement in train must be consistent with risk assessment Prohibited from being nearer than the fifth car from any locomotive in a train consist Nothing required above existing train placement requirements Nothing required above existing train placement requirements Enhanced Braking Train consisting of 10 tanks requires twoway end-oftrain device or distributed power Nothing required above existing requirements 20 or more loaded tank cars requires two-way end-oftrain device or distributed power 20 or more loaded tank cars of LNG in a continuous block or 35 or more loaded tank cars of LNG throughout the train require two-way end-oftrain device or distributed power Speed Limits 50 mph for consist trains with 10 loaded tanks; speed part of risk assessment 50 mph; 40 mph in or near listed populated areas; 20 mph in tunnel Nothing required above existing requirements Nothing required above existing requirements Track Inspections Track geometry car inspection, minimum 1 annually; internal rail flaw inspections, 4 annually Track geometry car inspection, minimum 1 annually; internal rail flaw inspections, 4 annually Not applicable No additional Training, Employee (standard is every 3 years) No additional LNG hazard training to train crews, annually No additional No additional Training, Emergency Responders Outreach plan to first responders and local governments, 30 days before first shipment LNG hazard and emergency response training for responders along route, annually LNG hazard and emergency response training for affected responders, before first shipment No additional TABLE 5-1 Continued continued Read the entire page →
From page 64... ... 64 PREPARING FOR LNG BY RAIL TANK CAR FRA Approval: FEC/Florida FRA Approval: ARRC/Alaska PHMSA Special Permit: ETS/PA-NJ 2020 Regulations Remote Monitoring, Shipper or Offerer Not applicable Not applicable Tank internal pressure, location, and leakage Tank location and pressure; notify the carrier if the tank pressure rises by more than 3 psig in any 24hour period Incident Reporting (additional) Any incident involving shipment of LNG, to FRA Any incident involving train carrying LNG, to FRA Any incident involving tank car, to PHMSA No additional Risk Assessment A train consist of 10 loaded tanks triggers additional route planning analysis For route: hazard assessment; mitigation identification and monitoring No additional risk assessment outside permit process and hazardous materials regulations Added LNG in tank car to regulation requiring additional route planning analysis Reporting Summary of operations, LNG units, trains, and problems, to FRA, quarterly LNG units to FRA, monthly; meetings with FRA, monthly Quantities and plan compliance, quarterly to PHMSA No additional SOURCES: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Read the entire page →
From page 65... ... TRANSPORTATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AND PERFORMANCE 65 transporting flammable and cryogenic materials and the safety record of LNG shipped by rail in Japan. Marine Tanker Ships The vast majority of ships transporting LNG to and from U.S. Read the entire page →
From page 66... ... 66 PREPARING FOR LNG BY RAIL TANK CAR or collisions were the cause of 7 incidents, with equipment defects or failures the cause of the other 9 incidents. Five of these 9 incidents occurred during cargo transfer. Read the entire page →
From page 67... ... TRANSPORTATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AND PERFORMANCE 67 TABLE 5-3 Cryogenic Tank Car Shipments, 2015–202018 Argon Ethylene Other Total 2015 1,588 356 262 2,206 2016 1,611 321 100 2,032 2017 1,731 314 63 2,108 2018 1,669 255 231 2,155 2019 1,978 244 203 2,425 2020 1,879 262 384 2,525 NOTE: Ethylene is also a flammable material. Serious incidents involving rail tank cars carrying cryogenic argon and ethylene have been rare, as shown in Table 5-4. Read the entire page →
From page 68... ... 68 PREPARING FOR LNG BY RAIL TANK CAR TABLE 5-4 Total Argon and Ethylene Tank Car Incidents, 2015–202020,21 Commodity Tank Car Shipments Total Incidents Number of Incidents Caused by Derailment Fatalities Incidents Involving Bulk Release Evacuation Injury from Commodity Argon 10,456 55 1 0 7 2 1 Ethylene 1,752 4 0 0 0 0 0 In addition to PHMSA-reported incidents, the Railway Supply Institute (RSI) -AAR Railroad Tank Car Safety Research and Test Project collects data on damage to, or the failure of, tanks cars and their components that provide or protect containment of the lading.22 Between 1980 and 2020, 17 DOT-113 cars were classified as damaged, which includes damage on tank car–specific features such as the inner tank, valves and fittings, head shields, or outer tank. Read the entire page →
From page 69... ... TRANSPORTATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AND PERFORMANCE 69 of mixed-freight trains. JR Freight owns little of its own track and mostly transports freight on track owned by passenger rail companies; as a consequence, trains are limited to a maximum length of fewer than 30 cars.25 Since 2000, the LNG shipments have resulted in only three incidents, all with minor consequences. Read the entire page →
From page 70... ... 70 PREPARING FOR LNG BY RAIL TANK CAR by tank car for many years. A rapid uptick in demand led to large quantities being moved regularly in general-purpose, non-pressure tank cars, and often in large blocks and unit trains. Read the entire page →

From page 53...

... 53 Shipments of hazardous materials have long been transported by rail, governed by regulations and shaped by industry practices that accommodate the freight rail industry's common carrier obligations. This chapter begins with an overview of the main elements of the regulatory framework established for ensuring the safe transportation of hazardous commodities generally by rail and specifically with respect to flammable and cryogenic materials.