tank car

FAQ: What is a tank car or rail tank car?

FAQ: What is a tank car or rail tank car?

The term “tank car” is used frequently in the USDOT/PHMSA Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) though not clearly defined there.

The term “rail tank car” is not found in the HMR at all though it is often used by the rail industry to indicate its use for rail transport.

The term “rail car” is defined in the HMR and that is where our answer to this FAQ begins.

Rail car is defined at 49 CFR 171.8:

Rail car means a car designed to carry freight or non-passenger personnel by rail, and includes a box car, flat car, gondola car, hopper car, tank car, and occupied caboose.

So…

  • A rail car is designed to carry freight or people by rail.
  • It includes, but is not limited to the following:
    • Box car
    • Flat car
    • Gondola car
    • Hopper car
    • Tank car
    • Occupied caboose.
  • That means that a tank car is a type of rail car.

Contact me with any questions you may have about the transportation of hazardous materials by air, highway, vessel, or rail

International and Domestic

Daniels Training Services, Inc.

815.821.1550

Info@DanielsTraining.com

https://www.danielstraining.com/

The term tank car is used throughout the HMR regarding the transport of HazMat by rail, including:

  • §173.10 Tank car shipments
  • §173.31 Use of tank cars
  • §174.67 Tank car unloading
  • The specifications for tank cars are found at part 179 of Title 49 of the CFR.
  • More…

Also, tank car is included in the definition of a transport vehicle at §171.8:

Transport vehicle means a cargo-carrying vehicle such as an automobile, van, tractor, truck, semitrailer, tank car or rail car used for the transportation of cargo by any mode. Each cargo-carrying body (trailer, rail car, etc.) is a separate transport vehicle.

Though not clearly defined in the HMR, a tank car is a type of transport vehicle used for the transport of freight – including hazardous materials – and non-passenger personnel by rail.

If you ship or receive HazMat by rail your HazMat Employee training must include the function specific responsibilities unique to those activities.  Contact me to provide you with that training.

Daniels Training Services, Inc.

815.821.1550

Info@DanielsTraining.com

https://www.danielstraining.com/
Loading and Unloading of Rail Tank Cars

Loading and Unloading of Rail Tank Cars

The transportation in commerce of a hazardous material (HazMat) by rail may involve a variety of bulk and non-bulk packagings. One common bulk packaging for the transport of HazMat by rail is the tank car. Whatever the packaging, the transport of HazMat by rail is subject to a variety of modal-specific or packaging-specific requirements within the Hazardous Material Regulations (HMR) of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration within the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT/PHMSA), including:

  • 49 CFR 174 – Carriage by rail
  • §173.10 – Tank car shipments
  • §173.31 – Use of tank cars

The purpose of this article is to identify and explain one small part of 49 CFR 173.31: The requirements for tank car loading and unloading at §173.31(g). (more…)

FAQ: OK to Load and Ship a Tank Car Nearing its Qualification Date?

A question from a former customer of MY ONSITE HAZMAT EMPLOYEE TRAINING on December 21, 2015:

Good Morning,

If the qualification due date on a rail tank car says 2015; can we still load it now and send it out one last time before we shop it?

Thank you,

My response later that day (I knew they needed an answer right away):
Markings on Rail Road Tank Car

This tank car’s qualification ends 12.31.20

Yes you may. Pursuant to 49 CFR 173.31(a)(3):

No person may fill a tank car overdue for periodic inspection with a hazardous material and then offer it for transportation.

Notice that non-compliance with this regulation requires two actions on the part of the Shipper:

  1. Fill a tank car that is overdue for its periodic inspection.  And,
  2. Offer for transportation (i.e. ship) a tank car that is overdue for its periodic inspection.

It does not say that a tank car that is overdue for its periodic inspection may not be transported in commerce.  Nor does it say that a tank car filled before its periodic inspection due date may not be offered for transportation after it is overdue for its periodic inspection.

A tank car that is marked with a due date of 2015 requires its periodic inspection by December 31, 2015 in order to remain qualified for the transportation of HazMat.  Therefore, a tank car so marked may be filled and shipped up until that date. It may even be offered for transportation and transported after 12.31.15 as long as it is not filled and shipped after that date.

Qualification marking on tank car

This tank car’s periodic inspection is due before December 31, 2016

I hope this helps.

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

Dan

And that was it!

Contact me with any questions you may have about the transportation of hazardous materials by air, highway, vessel, or rail

International and Domestic

Daniels Training Services

815.821.1550

Info@DanielsTraining.com

https://www.danielstraining.com/

As we approach the last few days of 2015 – or any year in which the periodic inspection of a tank car is due – be sure to fill those tank cars whose qualification expires at midnight on New Year’s Eve and then ship them anytime after that.

Contact me with your questions about the transportation of HazMat by highway, rail, water, or air.