Railroads Seek Stronger Tank Cars

In a bid to improve safety and reduce the number of freight train crashes in which hazardous chemicals are released, the Association of American Railroads' (AAR) Tank Car Committee has approved new design requirements for tank cars carrying chlorine and anhydrous ammonia.

The new standards call for heavier, thicker steel shells and extra padding to protect the tops and ends of tank cars. The committee says the redesign will reduce the chance of a chemical release during an accident by at least 65%. The standards are scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2007, for new tank cars.

The existing fleet would have to be retrofitted over the next 11 years by adding a layer of steel to each tank's exterior. The modifications would add about $30,000 to retrofit a car that now costs $100,000. About 12,000 of the roughly 270,000 tank cars currently in service are used to transport chlorine and anhydrous ammonia.

"We think this is the biggest single improvement in tank cars in probably more than 30 years," says a spokesman for the railroad association. Chemical shippers, however, question whether the "heavier is better" approach will significantly improve tank car safety and argue that railroads need to improve track maintenance and operations.

The American Chemistry Council and the Chlorine Institute say any effort to change tank-car standards should be guided by congressionally mandated research currently under way at the Department of Transportation's Volpe National Transportation Systems Center. Findings are expected to be published next year.

DOT's Federal Railroad Administration relies on the expertise of AAR's tank-car committee to establish detailed design standards and has historically accepted the panel's recommendations. The committee is composed of representatives of the railroad industry, shippers, and tank-car builders.