Eastern Railroad Discussion > Ethanol train buffer car rules

Hello to All,

When is a buffer car no longer required when moving ethanol tank cars? Is it determined by speed, number of cars, being off the main line, or another factor?

Thanks for all info!

They always have at least one

Posted from Android

need a buffer between any engine and ethanol tanks including the DPU.
JC

Buffers are always used.Placement and how many are used is different for each railroad,always have at least one between the power and tanks.

Mike Mautner
Maryland Hts., MO

Buffers can be other tank cars without ethanol, these are sighted once in a while and raise the question why don't they have a buffer.
go

Are buffers also required on short cuts (under 10 cars) of propane or ethanol empties? I've observed buffers on cuts of three LPG cars, but I don't know if they're required.

Spacers are required on almost all loaded hazmat tanks. There are certain types of hazmat that do not require spacers but LPG is not in that group.


Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Are buffers also required on short cuts (under 10
> cars) of propane or ethanol empties? I've
> observed buffers on cuts of three LPG cars, but I
> don't know if they're required.

Posted from Android

OHRY Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Spacers are required on almost all loaded hazmat
> tanks. There are certain types of hazmat that do
> not require spacers but LPG is not in that group.
>
>
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Are buffers also required on short cuts (under
> 10
> > cars) of propane or ethanol empties? I've
> > observed buffers on cuts of three LPG cars, but
> I
> > don't know if they're required.
>
> Posted from Android

Thank you

On my line, trains needing a buffer will have them on both ends, so as to ease running around the train and not having to shuffle the buffer too. Occasionally they do show up with the one, and that delays departure at the runaround yard by and hour or more.