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Art, Music, History, and Linguistics
History of Railroad Safety - Spotlight on current derailments
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[QUOTE="Astronuc, post: 6865872, member: 15685"] From the FRA article regarding the RAIL SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1974 I recall some spectacular train derailments during the 1970s and early 1980s involving tank cars carrying hazardous materials, notably vinyl chloride. Two accidents, one in Texas and the other in Lousisana, resulted in calls for more rigorous regulation. The one in Louisiana on the Illinois Central Gulf railroad in the town of Livingston, La. [URL]https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/communities/cleanup-following-1982-train-derailment-in-livingston-near-an-end/article_876eb30c-dd37-5b7b-8f5f-a248c15b453f.html[/URL] NTSB investigation report - [URL]https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/RAR8305.pdf[/URL] In the ICG derailment, cars 26-32 were tank cars loaded with vinyl chloride, which were among the 43 cars that derailed. two tank cars were break spilling the contents, which then ignited with a explosive fireball. One dwelling was enveloped in flames, and the occupant survived by escaping through a window. Top of page 11 describes the fires and hazardous material that leaked or burned, including a tank car of tetra-ethyl lead. [MEDIA=youtube]XiOFPXvVpwY[/MEDIA]The Texas accident involved a train that derailed in a yard. A tank car loaded with vinyl chloride was breached, subsequently ignited and involved a second tank car loaded with butadiene, which then exploded while a fire fighter was attempting to spray the cars with water from an elevated ladder (ladder truck). The firefighter was engulfed in flames but apparently he survived with burns over 50% of his body; it was caught on film by a news camera crew. Another firefighter was killed. [HEADING=2]ABC13's Vault: 1 of Houston's worst explosions took place on Oct. 19, 1971[/HEADING] [URL]https://abc13.com/mykawa-rail-yard-fire-vinyl-chloride-explosion-missouri-pacific-railroad-train-car-blast-hazardous-materials/1561068/[/URL] NTSB accident investigation report is RAR-72-06, but it does not appear to be [S]readily[/S] available. Edit/upate - After some poking around, I found a page on the NTSB website, which contains a like to recommendation reports, with a circular link to RAR-72-06; the link takes one back to the same page :mad: [URL]https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/79781.aspx[/URL] However, the several documents/links contain the statement: [URL]https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/R-72-042[/URL] [URL]https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/R-72-045[/URL] I don't know why the accident investigation report has been made unavailable, as many are available. It should be restored for public access. Apparently, ATSF (now part of BNSF) did take exception to a finding.Why training on handling of hazmat/chemicals is important. [URL]https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/HZM0402.pdf[/URL][URL]https://iprr.org/HazMatdocs/HMCaselist.html[/URL] [URL]https://railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/fra_net/18852/dot_9675_DS1.pdf[/URL] [/QUOTE]
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History of Railroad Safety - Spotlight on current derailments
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