Western Railroad Discussion > Hazmat derailments and danger to the curious public

A word of caution regarding potential hazmat dangers.  According to an ABC News report this morning, a 25-year-old Arizona man responded to information on his police scanner about a derailment near his location.  When approaching the derailment site, he "kicked on that light bar" to view the scene.  After having had personal dealings with such incidents as a first responder, the risks involved with satisfying such curiosity are not worth taking.  At the point in time that this individual had to see what was going on, there were no verified reports about the contents of the damaged tank cars, and whether or not they contained Hazmat, nor the possibility of explosion or fire.  The contents of rail tank cars (and intermodal boxes/trailers) can contain virtually anything, including (but not limited to) items described as "clear, colorless, odorless, toxic inhalation hazards"(Methyl Bromide) which can be fatal in reasonably small exposure levels.  Is this really something you want to take a chance with?  After the events at East Palestine and other locations through the history of railroads and HazMat trainportation, do yourself and those who are responding a huge favor, and stay away.  "The life you save, might be your own."       

if i was trackside and a train went on the ground and if the head-end was involved, i would sure be TEMPTED to see if i could be of any help to the head-end crew.........

66

Pretty sure that the chemical that killed hundreds at Bhopal, India a few years back is transported by rail in the US. Hydrogen cyanide is transported that way ( I have pics of the tank cars involved) and plain old chlorine ( World War 1, one whiff gas) is routinely transported by rail. 

Kep the f away. 

goneon66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> if i was trackside and a train went on the ground
> and if the head-end was involved, i would sure be
> TEMPTED to see if i could be of any help to the
> head-end crew.........
>


Agreed. Depending upon the stuff involved, they may not be able to run fast enough (but if the power is still on the railroad, they should just cut off and go).

Decades ago, there was a crew trying to run away from derailed hazmat. There was a news helicopter getting in close for a 'good shot' that blew the escaping poison gas toward them and killed both. Not only stay away, but in my call list I always added FAA to close the airspace over any hazmat derailment. To just drive up on the derailed cars is somewhere between stupid and crazy.

TAW

When I was going to college, EL had a rather spectacular wreck at Waterboro Jct, NY, I'll guess 1975.   Cars everywhere, no fire or explosion though, at 60mph speed.  I'd never seen an actual mainline true train wreck before.    Derailed on a facing point turnout and went half a mile before everything crashed.

Years later I ended up buying a house there.   WAY back from the junction and WAY up on a hill, so that any gasses stayed down in the valley.   I could still see trains from my kitchen window, but after seeing that wreck, I really don't need or want to be trackside.

After that my wife was house-hunting in my current town, and 'picked one she thought I would like' next to the tracks.   I knew what was over it, daily trains of LPG, and the property butted right up against the tie edge.    Even running at low speed, nope.   Nope.   Nope.    I know what is in that train, and I don't have to be there.    It's a safe railroad, track is in better shape now, but.... nope.....    I'd prefer to be well back, and if I can, up.

I doubt many will follow this advice. Everyone with a smart phone wants their 15 seconds of fame on the net and maybe, news channels, and trainorders. 

march_hare Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pretty sure that the chemical that killed hundreds
> at Bhopal, India a few years back is transported
> by rail in the US. Hydrogen cyanide is transported
> that way ( I have pics of the tank cars involved)
> and plain old chlorine ( World War 1, one whiff
> gas) is routinely transported by rail. 
>
> Keep the f away. 

Yes, the Chemical at Bhopal was Methylisocyanate (MIC)
a plasticizer that uses the humidity in the air to become
urethane plastic.  It is frequently moved in tankcars through
some major cities.  It is really deadly stuff, but rail is the
safest way to transport this product.  Same with Chlorine,
Anhydrous Ammonia, and many other chemicals.
SR2

SR2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> march_hare Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Pretty sure that the chemical that killed
> hundreds
> > at Bhopal, India a few years back is
> transported
> > by rail in the US. Hydrogen cyanide is
> transported
> > that way ( I have pics of the tank cars
> involved)
> > and plain old chlorine ( World War 1, one whiff
> > gas) is routinely transported by rail. 
> >
> > Keep the f away. 
>
> Yes, the Chemical at Bhopal was Methylisocyanate
> (MIC)
> a plasticizer that uses the humidity in the air to
> become
> urethane plastic.  It is frequently moved in
> tankcars through
> some major cities.  It is really deadly stuff,
> but rail is the
> safest way to transport this product.  Same with
> Chlorine,
> Anhydrous Ammonia, and many other chemicals.
> SR2

Better living through chemistry has brought us bigger disasters through chemistry.

My first hazmat derailment was 1971. It was mothballs. There was nothing in the train that could blow up or kill a town. Very few trains had stuff like that. Far more stuff was made out of metal than plastic.

Now, trains with stuff that will blow up or kill a town are common.

TAW

TAW Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
(SNIP)
>
> Now, trains with stuff that will blow up or kill a
> town are common.
>
> TAW

And may be hauled in train cars older than the crew members operating the train in some cases

Do a video search for Texarkana explosion.

https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/RAB0604.pdf

EricSP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do a video search for Texarkana explosion.


... a collision that PTC would not have prevented.

TAW