Along the NE corridor in DE today I saw a long tank car train standing on the Wilmington freight bypass line with a large box car every 9th or so car?????
Could not see either end of the stationary train but quite a few individual box cars spaced out equally.
This is some kind of a standard practice or just very unique? tt
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They were buffer cars to separate the tank cars. Buffer cars provide separation between flammable loads for safety reasons.
Gilly
My first thought was a buffer car but when tank cars go nasty the buffer distances seem to be measured in kilometers or miles. Maybe just for limited problems?
As a buffer car I would think is was a token effort to satisfy tree hugers.
interesting Tom. the Enthanol unit train that comes through here has a buffer car behind the engines and at the tail end only. this is normally a consist of about 40-50 cars and a fairly hazardous loading.
Perhaps different product calls for different buffering.
Secondary ponder, I wonder if the box cars are empty or have certain contents per tank car product.
I have seen the practice here in S. Jersey. It's only been since the summer. They have recently built a few sidings on the run from Camden to Paulsboro and park 30 - 40 cars with an old BNSF box on one end. Someone (FRA) must think it's a good idea and mandated it. The increased tank traffic must have forced them to build these sidings to manage the cars. (Fulls and Empties)
Tom, I sometimes see really long auto carrier trains parked along there that go for miles.
The rails are busy.
I have seen the practice here in S. Jersey. It's only been since the summer. They have recently built a few sidings on the run from Camden to Paulsboro and park 30 - 40 cars with an old BNSF box on one end. Someone (FRA) must think it's a good idea and mandated it. The increased tank traffic must have forced them to build these sidings to manage the cars. (Fulls and Empties)
Tom, I sometimes see really long auto carrier trains parked along there that go for miles.
The rails are busy.
I would think one boxcar would not be that much of a buffer, but I suppose it would help some. I had seen this too and assumed that was the reason.
It's not because of "somebody's idea".
Federal hazardous material regulations mandate which commodities may not be carried in cars coupled to locomotives, occupied cabooses, or passenger cars. Numerous unit trains of ethanol and crude oil pass through Amarillo, but I have never seen buffer cars interspaced throughout these trains -- only behind the engine, and usually behind the rear car. (There is no requirement for a buffer car at the rear, but they usually place one there in case the train has to be switched from the rear due to an unusual situation, or must be shoved if there is a locomotive failure on the head end.)
I see buffer cars, either a box car or covered hopper, on Canadian Pacific oil tanker trains through Belleville all the time. Just across the street from my Mother's room at the home, so I am good and close up.
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