tank cars

[orangeman]

I have often wondered about tank cars.

Once a car carries a particular kind of fluid is it always dedicated to that fluid? If not, what is the process for cleaning that car.

I can see all kinds of problems using cars for multiple liquids such as  food grade liquids, acids, polymers, and the list goes on. Surely there must be FDA regs for food grade liquids. But what about using cars for multiple purposes such as acids and polymers?

And reefers. Can they carry veggies and meat as well?

Any insight?

[Loco Bill]

They do use tank cars for multiple purposes, but some are dedicated to only one service.  North of Denver o US 85 there is a large facility dedicated to cleaning tank cars.  As many times as I have driven by it I did not notice what their cargo was.  I do know that there is a whole series of General American Tank (GATX) Cars leased to ADM I believe an dedicated to hauling Corn Syrup. 

http://www.gatx.com/wps/wcm/connect/GATX/GATX_SITE/Home/Rail/Rail+North+America/Services/

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsRRList.aspx?id=12

As for reefers, the modern type with mechanical cooling and heating can haul any thing that is boxed, or pallitized and wrapped, at any required temperature.


http://wapedia.mobi/en/Refrigerator_car

http://freight.railfan.ca/up.html#reefer


The above links may be helpful!

[Woody Elmore]

Tanks for the info.

[pdlethbridge]

And if they are not careful, a steam cleaned tank car can implode if not properly vented

http://www.videosift.com/video/Tank-Car-Implosion-Goodness-short

[orangeman]

I spoke with a gentleman who worked for a company that made corn syrup. He said there was a special cleaning device built in to the top of the tank car. All they did was attach a high pressure steam hose. The pressure drove turbines in the device and they used a caustic solution to clean the cars. I think he said the manfacturer of the device was Butterworth but I may have misheard. Butter something anyways.

But that was corn syrup.

What about acids, alcohols, polymers, sulfur, oils, etc. Are there tank cars dedicated strictly to one liquid? Can a tank car that carried hydrochloric acid also be used for sulfuric acid? Or must it be cleaned?

[Jhanecker2]

I would suspect that all cars handling assorted fluids would be cleaned to avoid contamination  of product and legal issues arrising from that condition .  John II