Eastern Railroad Discussion > An Interesting Tank Car

Hi everyone.

I saw this tanker back in March. Has anyone else seen these?? I find it's size interesting in a RR world full of bigger cars. It also looks like it was built recently.

Thanks everyone for viewing.

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Great shot on this car!! There's a picture of this car on RR Picture Archives from 2006 which shows the DOT standard # SP-11073 for the materials handled in this car. My thoughts are...since it's transporting acid, it's best not to have 22K gallons of it in one container should a derailment occur...the document also specs the construction of the car.

I have seen cars like this marked for Bromine. Similiar to Chlorine but heavier and a dark red liquid.
Roger Beckett

The density of the liquid being transported probably is the determining factor in how big a car is designed. This is nominally a 70-ton car (gross rail load is given as 219,000 pounds). It holds a little more than 8,000 gallons of product (which wasn't unusual for many tank cars of the World War II era, by the way). A 100-ton tank car for the same stuff might hold 10,000 to 11,000 gallons.

The commodity (at least the one I've seen in cars from this series), chlorosulfonic acid, is about 75 percent heavier than water, gallon for gallon. And water is one of the heavier commodities that can be shipped.

Unfortunately, I have no information on when this car might have been built. I don't think it's all that new, since I doubt that many 70-ton tank cars have recently come down the pike (the series is listed in one of the Equipment Registers from 1991). A fresh coat of paint can work wonders, can't it?

Carl Shaver
Lombard, IL

That's a pretty impressive center beam, too.

It is used to haul chlorosulfonic acid. Found some other pics that indicate that as well as corporate information from the DuPont website just for education:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rspicture.aspx?id=90999

http://www2.dupont.com/Sulfur_Technologies/en_US/products/sulfur_technologies/packages_transportation.html

-Sean McCaffery

Interesting catch ns1000.
John

Looks like the tank is strapped onto the frame with two big bands that go over the top?

That number is the tank type not the commodity hauled. No hazmat markers on this car. I would venture to say its for slurry like the car ahead of it ( that's carrying titanium dioxide slurry )



oldSALrailfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great shot on this car!! There's a picture of
> this car on RR Picture Archives from 2006 which
> shows the DOT standard # SP-11073 for the
> materials handled in this car. My thoughts
> are...since it's transporting acid, it's best not
> to have 22K gallons of it in one container should
> a derailment occur...the document also specs the
> construction of the car.

Posted from Android

chlorosulfonic acid. roughly twice the weight of water. Also violently reacts with water, and instantly reacts
with water vapor in the air.

Reading through this thread...there's a bunch of people out there who can unload all kinds of information, notice different details, and pass that info on to others...that is great!!

pdt Wrote:
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> chlorosulfonic acid. roughly twice the weight of
> water. Also violently reacts with water, and
> instantly reacts
> with water vapor in the air.



I realize that, at times, I'm not the brightest light bulb in the box, but, if this is the case, I would have to believe that these should have placards on them. As noted previously, I see none. Is there something I'm missing?

Interesting post and photo, thanks for sharing......
There will be a little something in your paycheck next week...:o)

http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3846939

Ok now I see where this came from, car must be moving after being purged and relined or repainted. I see where the Chlorosulfonic acid is covered up with a peel off sticker.



pdt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> chlorosulfonic acid. roughly twice the weight of
> water. Also violently reacts with water, and
> instantly reacts
> with water vapor in the air.

Thanks everyone for your answers and input.