[ RadSafe ] When logic fails . . .

[Doug Aitken]

At 11:40 AM 8/31/2007, Earley, Jack N wrote:
>Reaction and the fallout from Wednesday's runaway railcar containing the
>deadly chemical chlorine has come from just about everywhere. From
>changes the city of Las Vegas will make, to how the Clark County HAZMAT
>team could respond to a chlorine leak. The railcar coasted freely from
>south of Blue Diamond to North Las Vegas.
>
>The scariest thing for HAZMAT experts who looked at this incident is how
>close the railcar came to a lot of people. The track took it right
>behind the Mirage, Treasure Island, Fashion Show Mall, and Circus
>Circus. The runaway car went as fast as 55 miles-per hour past the Clark
>County Government Center and downtown Las Vegas. That angered the mayor
>and left HAZMAT fire crews pondering what if.
>
>The runaway railcar looked harmless enough as it sat in North Las Vegas
>Wednesday. Union Pacific workers threw wood boards under the tires to
>stop the car.

Never mind the politicking...... how come the rail car was able to coast?? 
Rail cars have air actuated brakes, that lock automatically in the ABSENCE 
of air pressure (thus "ensuring" that a free-standing car cannot move until 
it is coupled and its brakes pressurized.)

Someone, somewhere, must have pressurized the system and closed valves in 
such a way as to trap the air pressure (known as "bottling the air"  in the 
rail industry). Probably a dumb error - but a potentially disastrous act if 
done deliberately. Just combine this with a derailment device in downtown 
Las Vegas and you have a real mess,,,,,,

Regards
Doug


Doug Aitken                     Cell Phone    713 562-8585
QHSE Advisor
D&M Operations Support
Schlumberger Technology Corporation