RAIL TANK CARS

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RAIL TANK CARS

• SHUNTING -
• Canberra (ACT) Australia
• 1989

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Have a look at the photo in the next slide

• This photo was sent to us by a colleague in
  Canada. It shows what happened in Texas (USA)
  when Rail Tank Cars were being loose shunted
• Blind Shunt in North America terminology
• This presentation is of a RTC Shunting Episode in
  Canberra ACT (Australia) in 1989

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BLIND SHUNT Rail Tank Cars -
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BACKGROUND

• The main source of supply to the oil depots in
  Canberra ACT in 1989 was by using Rail Tank Cars
  (RTC's) in BLOCK TRAIN configurations from the
  Sydney oil company supply terminals
• Some depots would receive block trains of 16
  RTCs, containing approx. one million litres of
  product up to three times per week. Or more often
  depending on demand

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HOW IT WORKED

• E, g. The ABC Depot siding could hold 8 RTCs
• The railways would shunt in up to 8 RTCs early
  in the morning (500,000 litres)
• They would return around midday, remove the 8 M/T
  cars and shunt in the next 8 cars, which they had
  brought up from the shunting yards

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THE PROCEDURE (cont)

• They would take the M/T RTCs back to the
  shunting yards and then return later, remove the
  8 M/T cars and return to the shunting yards where
  the block train would be assembled for its return
  to the Sydney loading terminals.
• This procedure was also followed at the other oil
  depots, with the number of cars depending on the
  size of the depot unloading sidings, pumping
  capacity etc

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STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (SOP)

• The SOP for the safety of the Depot spur line was
  for the railway shunter to OPEN THE POINTS,
  and padlock the points operating arm, on the spur
  line when exiting the siding
• The shunter would also place a POINTS OPEN sign
  on the track between the points and the main line

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SECURITY OF UNLOADING RTCS

• The Points Open Procedure was to ensure the
  security of the RTCs being unloaded in the depot
  siding
• The ABC depot SOPs also required depot staff to
  check that the points were actually in the OPEN
  position, locked and that the warning sign was in
  place

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WHAT HAPPENED

• On April 4, 1989 the railway shunters pulled out
  the M/T RTCs from the ABC depot siding, returned
  to the main line and began the journey back to
  the Canberra shunting yards
• There was then the sound of an enormous CRASH
• It was heard right across the Fyshwick Industrial
  Area

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What had happened

• The train instead of continuing on the mainline
  had swung into the XYZ depot spur line
• The points had not been locked in the open
  position
• The engine was pushing the ABC RTCs which
  smashed into RTCs in the XYZ Depot siding

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XYZ RAIL TANK CARS
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SHUNTING ENGINE RTC
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Shunting engines used on the day
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Pipelines to storage tanks
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Remains of staff shelter
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Steel concrete and sparks
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The Aftermath

• The damage bill was Hundreds of Thousands of
  Dollars for repairs to the RTCs and depot
  infrastructure
• The Shunter was fined a days pay
• THE LESSON
• Always follow the SOPs

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RTCs and Depot Pipework
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At the depot siding gate
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Summary

• Always follow the SOPs
• ALWAYS
• Check and double check and record the checks
• THIS incident could have been a bloody lot worse