Propane Tank Car Didn't Leak, But Rutland Rail Line Stayed Closed Anyway

The Situation

Days of rail downtime, and the tank never leaked. A propane tank car rolled over Friday evening, Sept. 11, near the Park Street crossing behind the Rutland fairgrounds in Rutland City, Vermont, according to a joint release from the Vermont Division of Fire Safety, the Rutland City Fire Department and Vermont Rail System. The line was still closed through Monday's cleanup, and Vermont Rail System said the track would be inspected before it reopens.

The Facts

The joint statement, carried by NBC Boston, said the tank was not compromised and posed no threat to public health, safety or the environment, and asked the public to stay clear of Park Street so responders and contractors could work.

WAMC Northeast Public Radio reported the car was back on the rails Saturday and its propane was moved to another container. The state Department of Public Safety said no one was hurt, and Vermont Rail System, which runs the freight line through Rutland, is investigating the cause.

WCAX reported that Saturday events at the fairgrounds were postponed, and that fire officials and the state hazmat team burned off vapor from the car in a planned burn during the cleanup, warning residents not to mistake it for a new fire. Cleanup went on Monday.

Business Impact

A spill is not the only thing that stops a rail line. Righting a car, moving the product, burning off vapor and checking the rail all take days, even when nothing gets out. If your supply rides this corridor, that is time you cannot load from it.

Key Takeaways

• Ask your supplier now, not in January, how a multi-day rail outage with no spill would hit your next scheduled load.

Action Steps

1. 1.Check whether any of your rail-fed supply points route through or near the Rutland corridor, and confirm current status with your supplier this week.
2. 2.Write down a backup load source, such as another terminal, for a rail outage that lasts a week.
3. 3.Treat a planned hazmat burn as an emergency work zone. If anyone smells gas, leave the area right away, then call your propane company from a safe place. If you can't reach them, call 911.

Competitive Advantage

Dealers who already asked their supplier about a no-spill outage will have an answer ready before a customer calls. Everyone else will be guessing.