Ethanol train question

[jettrainfan]

Well, im probably gonna find out this was simple but I'll give it a go.

How come on ethanol trains they have a freight car between the locos and another at the end? Its been on my head so i just figure I'd ask.

thanks!

[ebtbob]

As far as I know,  the two cars,  usually boxcars,  carry supplies to deal with any kind of spill in the case of derailments.

[Mike]

How about rules for hazardous material cars...buffer car(s) required for safety. Check the hazmat rules.

[jward]

he is correct, the idler cars are buffers in case of incident. the one on the rear is for a buffer when the train needs helpers on the rear.

why the buffer cars? well, last night i heard the dispatcher refer to it as the "kaboom " train.....

[RAM]

Its for safety.  ethanol trains are not the only things that need a buffer between the car and the locomotive.   I do not know if they need to be an empty car or not.  Some one may have a list of products that require a buffer.

[BestSnowman]

There is an ethanol plant on the way to my parents and I always see a couple boxcars sitting amongst the hoppers and tank cars on sidings and I always wondered why but never saw them assembled into a moving train.

[jettrainfan]

OK, thanks for the info!

[glennk28]

If I can recall my HazMat training from 20 years ago--I think one particular problem with Ethanol is that in daylight you cannot see the flame if it catches fire.  gj

[BestSnowman]

If I can recall my HazMat training from 20 years ago--I think one particular problem with Ethanol is that in daylight you cannot see the flame if it catches fire.  gj

That sounds right to me as well.

[NarrowMinded]

A few years ago I heard they were going to add something in ethanol so you could see it burn during the day for safety.

NM