I was listening on NPR this report segment:
http://www.npr.org/2015/02/25/389008046 ... anker-cars
I believe our Canadian brethren here is very familiar with this story: Especially Lac-Megantic on July 6, 2013. Now what piques my particular interest was what the reporter said about Tuscaloosa, AL ( which is an hour away from me). A few facts stated by the reporter:
1. The fracking oil fields in the U.S are located in areas where there are no pipelines to bring it to refineries. There are rail lines though.
2. The amount of oil transported by rail had been expanding.
3. The type of oil transported by rail is light crude with VOC's (volatile organic compounds) suspended in them. Those compounds are shaken out of the crude during the journey and forms a blanket on top of the crude. These compounds are flammable and explosive under the right conditions. They can also be deadly like hydrogen sulfide (my 2 cents).
4. The type of tanker cars being used in transport is typically the DOT-111A cars. Which was originally designed to handle corn syrup. It's a design not originally intended to handle flammable materials.
Tuscaloosa is home to University of Alabama (home to the shrine of Bear Bryant), for those who are not into U.S. collegiate football. Interesting enough, it's the first time I'ved heard of a wooden railway trestle bridge in use to transport crude to a nearby oil refinery over there:
__________________
Into terror!, Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell
http://www.npr.org/2015/02/25/389008046 ... anker-cars
I believe our Canadian brethren here is very familiar with this story: Especially Lac-Megantic on July 6, 2013. Now what piques my particular interest was what the reporter said about Tuscaloosa, AL ( which is an hour away from me). A few facts stated by the reporter:
1. The fracking oil fields in the U.S are located in areas where there are no pipelines to bring it to refineries. There are rail lines though.
2. The amount of oil transported by rail had been expanding.
3. The type of oil transported by rail is light crude with VOC's (volatile organic compounds) suspended in them. Those compounds are shaken out of the crude during the journey and forms a blanket on top of the crude. These compounds are flammable and explosive under the right conditions. They can also be deadly like hydrogen sulfide (my 2 cents).
4. The type of tanker cars being used in transport is typically the DOT-111A cars. Which was originally designed to handle corn syrup. It's a design not originally intended to handle flammable materials.
Tuscaloosa is home to University of Alabama (home to the shrine of Bear Bryant), for those who are not into U.S. collegiate football. Interesting enough, it's the first time I'ved heard of a wooden railway trestle bridge in use to transport crude to a nearby oil refinery over there:
__________________
Into terror!, Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell