Post by markm on Feb 16, 2021 7:51:02 GMT -5
With a certain fear of causing another run on AZL rolling stock, if one is going to run these cars, you need the boxcars or some other era-appropriate "boxy" car. Regulations placed on railroads require them to have buffer cars surrounding tank carrying flammable fluids. The rule back in the transition era was 5 buffer cars after the locomotive(s) and one before the caboose. The purpose is to protect the crew in case of a collision. A buffer car could be a boxcar, or a hopper filled with sand or gravel or in later years a gutted locomotive. Cars have could have loads that could come loose, such a flat cars were prohibited from being adjecent to the tanks.
I'm unsure what the current requirements are, but watching UP trains here in Northern California it appears in the modern era thing have been loosened a bit. On unit trains there is a single buffer after the locomotive and one at the end of the train. UP seems to like to use locomotives with the diesel units removed. Never a tank car on the end of train.
On mixed trains there are buffer cars running on either end of the tank car(s).
If anyone knows the current rules regarding tank car, I'd be interested in knowing.
Mark
I'm unsure what the current requirements are, but watching UP trains here in Northern California it appears in the modern era thing have been loosened a bit. On unit trains there is a single buffer after the locomotive and one at the end of the train. UP seems to like to use locomotives with the diesel units removed. Never a tank car on the end of train.
On mixed trains there are buffer cars running on either end of the tank car(s).
If anyone knows the current rules regarding tank car, I'd be interested in knowing.
Mark
