TOOLKIT FOR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION EDUCATION

Module 4: Hazmat Mode and Route Selection

2

This work is sponsored by the U. S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). It was conducted through the Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program (HMCRP), which is administered by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies.

Prepared by3 Sigma Consultants, LLC909 Edenbridge Way, Nashville, TN 37215

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module students will be able to:

1.Describe the operational considerations associated with selecting preferred modes and routes

2.Summarize relevant hazmat routing regulations

3. Recognize the tradeoffs that may exist in attempting to satisfy efficiency, safety, security and environmental criteria when making mode and route decisions

3

Topics

• Factors affecting mode choice• Route selection factors• Highway hazmat routing regulations• Railroad hazmat routing practices• Differences in highway and rail routing of hazmat• Different approaches in applying routing criteria• Community activism

4

Factors Affecting Hazmat Mode Choice

• Travel time and service reliability• Total logistics costs• Safety and security• Shipment size and weight• Hazardous materials properties and composition• Container characteristics• Availability of infrastructure access/egress• Equipment availability• Local restrictions (e.g., bridges, tunnels, highway weights)• Intermodal considerations

5

Route Selection Factors

6

• Efficiency– Trip length– Travel time– Availability of diversion route– Access to en route storage and repair facilities

• Safety & Security– Condition of infrastructure– Height, width, weight and traffic conflict considerations– Accident likelihood– Population exposure– Number of transfers– Proximity to critical infrastructure and iconic targets– Emergency response capability– Safe stopping places

• Environmental– Wildlife and vegetation exposure– Soil composition– Proximity to surface and ground water

Sample Critical Infrastructure and Iconic Targets

• Bridges• Tunnels• Dams• Grade crossings• Government offices• Military bases• Sports facilities• Major banks• Chemical plants• Utilities• Religious shrines• National landmarks• Science laboratories• Nuclear reactor sites

7

Highway Hazmat Routing Regulations (49 CFR Part 397)

• Radioactive Materials (RAM) and Highway Route Control Quantities (HRCQ)– Base rule – Follow State-designated route or Interstate system

highway to reduce time in transit– Route analysis/designation responsibility – State/tribal/local

governments – Coordination – continuity, jurisdictional, public process

• Highway Non-RAM Hazmat (NRHM)– Base rule – Follow State-designated route or simply “operate over

routes which do not go through heavily populated areas, places where crowds assembled, tunnels or alleys”.

– Route analysis/designation responsibility – State/tribal/local governments

– Coordination – continuity, jurisdictional, public process

Source: Battelle Memorial Institute 8

Highway Routing Factors (49 CFR Part 397)

NRHM• Population density• Type of highway• Types and quantities of HM• Emergency response capabilities• Results of consultation with

affected persons• Exposure and other risk factors• Terrain considerations• Continuity of routes• Alternative routes • Effects on commerce• Delays in transportation• Climate• Congestion and accident history

Radioactive Materials• Placarded Non-HRCQ RAM

– Minimize radiological risk:• Accident rates • Transit time• Population density and

activities• Time of day, day of week

• HRCQ RAM– Preferred route

• State-designated or Interstate system highway

• Reduce time in transit– Route deviations

• Pickup and deliveries• Emergencies

– Circuity rule

Source: Battelle Memorial Institute 9

Railroad Practices Related to Hazmat Routing

• Utilize AAR’s Recommended Railroad Operating Practices for Transportation of Hazardous Materials

• Provisions include:• Key Trains• Key Routes• Yard Operating Practices

10Source: Association of American Railroads, Battelle Memorial Institute

Key Trains

• Defined as:• One tankcar load of ppoison or toxic inhalation hazard (PIH or TIH),

anhydrous ammonia (AA) or ammonia solutions • 20 carloads or intermodal portable tanks of a combination of PIH, TIH,

AA, ammonia solutions, flammable gas, Class 1.1 or 1.2 explosives, and environmentally sensitive chemicals

• One or more carloads of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) or high level radioactive waste (HLRW)

• Restrictions:• Maximum speed of 50 MPH• Unless siding is rated as Class 2 or higher, key train holds main track• Car must be equipped with roller bearings• If visual inspection cannot confirm a defect bearing reported by a

wayside detector, train will not exceed 30 MPH until passing next detector or inspection

• If second wayside detector confirms defect, car must be pulled off of train

11Source: Association of American Railroads, Battelle Memorial Institute

Key Routes

• Any track carrying a combination of 10,000 carloads or intermodal portable tank loads of hazmat, or a combination of 4,000 loads of PIH/TIH, AA, flammable gas, Class 1.1 or 1.2 explosives, environmentally sensitive chemicals, SNF or HLRW in one year

• Requirements:– Wayside bearing detectors or equivalent technology no more than 40

miles apart– Main line track inspected by rail defect detection and track geometry

cars or equivalent no less than 2 times/year; sidings no less than once per year

– Periodic inspections of main track and sidings for cracks or breaks in joint bars

12Source: Association of American Railroads, Battelle Memorial Institute

Yard Operating Practices

• Coupling speeds of loaded tank cars not to exceed 4 MPH• Loaded PIH/TIH, AA or flammable gas cars cut off in motion in

no more than 2-car cuts• Cars cut off in motion coupled to loaded PIH, TIH, AA or

flammable gas cars in no more than 2-car cuts

Source: Association of American Railroads, Battelle Memorial Institute 13

1. Applicabilitya. Explosives 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 greater than 5,000 lbsb. Bulk quantity of PIH/TIH materialsc. HRCQ radioactive materials

2. Route Analysisa. Use specified routing factors to analyze safety and security risks for

current routes3. Alternative Route Analysis

a. Identify at least one “commercially practicable” alternative route and analyze safety and security risks

4. Route Selectiona. Select route posing the “least overall safety and security risk”;

annual review requiredb. Institute measures to address vulnerabilities and risk identifiedc. Restrict distribution and access to data and routing analyses as

sensitive security information (SSI)

14

Rail Hazmat Routing Regulations (HM-232)*

*49 CFR Part 172 contains this requirement

5. Completion of Route Analysisa. Comprehensive, system-wide review of operations that could impact

safety and security analyses every five years6. Limitations on Actions by States

a. States, political subdivisions and tribes may not designate, limit or prohibit use of any rail line unless obtain waiver of preemption

7. Storage and Delays in Transita. Minimize time in transit; procedures for notifications; restrict access;

etc.

8. Compliance and Enforcementa. Not required to submit analyses or route decisions, but must have

available for inspection

15

Rail Hazmat Routing Regulations (HM-232)

Rail Route Analysis Factors

• Volume of hazmat• Rail traffic density• Trip length• Railroad facilities• Track type and class• Track grade and curvature• Signals and train control

systems• Wayside detectors• Number and types of grade

crossings• Single vs. double track• Frequency and locations of

track turnouts• Proximity to iconic targets• Environmentally sensitive areas• Population density

• Venues along route• Emergency response capability

along route• Areas of high consequence• Passenger traffic• Speed of train operations• Proximity to en route storage or

repair facilities• Known threats (from TSA)• Measures in place to address

safety and security risks• Availability of alternative routes• Past incidents• Overall time in transit• Training and skill level of crews• Impact on rail network traffic and

operations

Source: Battelle Memorial Institute 16

Differences in Highway and Rail Routing of Hazmat

• Private vs. public right-of-way• Fewer routing alternatives between any given origin-

destination pair for rail• Larger quantities per container by rail • Train consists vs. individual trucks• Carrier interchanges by rail • Population proximity to right-of-way along route• Avoiding urban areas/center cities more difficult by rail

Source: Battelle Memorial Institute 17

Different Approaches In Applying Routing Criteria

• Require a route to pass across a segment that presents a low risk.

• Require a route to avoid a segment that presents a high risk (i.e., hot spot).

• Allow a route to use a high-risk segment, but impose a penalty (i.e., added cost) to any candidate route that would include that segment.

18

Critical Infrastructure & Iconic Target Hotspots and Hazmat Restricted Segments on the Highway Network in

the Southeast U.S.

19

Iconic targetCritical infrastructureHazmat restriction

Colorado Truck Routes for Hazardous and Nuclear Shipments

Community Activism

• Communities located along major hazardous materials transport routes have long feared the possibility of a hazardous materials release.

• There have been historic occurrences of such events with severe consequences (e.g., Graniteville, SC).

• Organized opposition has often formed to dissuade carriers from moving particularly dangerous hazardous cargo through a community (NIMBY – not in my backyard).

• Hazmat shippers and carriers are actively working with these communities to improve hazmat transport safety and security, through such initiatives as: – TRANSCAER (Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency

Response)– Participation in State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs) and Local

Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs)– Hosting Capability Assessment Programs (CAPs)

21

Key Takeaways

• Hazardous materials shippers select preferred modes based on the characteristics of the cargo and the ability of the mode to satisfy the desired transport requirements.

• Hazmat route selection is heavily regulated for the truck and rail industry, in terms of designated routes and requiring route risk assessments that consider a variety of economic, safety, security and environmental factors.

• Tradeoffs exist among routing options in terms of their ability to satisfy various criteria, leading shippers, carriers and regulators to identify preferred routes based on criteria importance.

22

Student Exercise

23

Route Option

Trip Length (miles)

Population Density (per

sq. mile)

Proximity to Iconic Targets

Proximity to Enviro.

Sensitive Areas

Accident Likelihood

Emergency Response Capability

1 10.7 16,200 High Low Low Excellent

2 33.2 6,600 High Medium Low Good

3 47.0 3,700 Low Low Medium Fair

4 19.5 15,900 Medium Medium High Excellent

5 24.4 6,600 Medium High Medium Good

6 38.2 3,600 Low Low Low Poor

The table below presents the results of an analysis that was performed on six hazardous materials highway routing options. 1)Based on the information provided, which route would you select as the preferred option? Explain your method and show how it was applied in determining the preferred route.2)Report back on your methodology during the next session for comparison with others to identify the most desirable method(s).

Resources for Support and Additional Learning

24

Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49: Transportation, Part 397 - Transportation of Hazardous Materials; Driving and Parking Rules, Subpart C - Routing of Non-Radioactive Hazardous Materials and Subpart D - Routing of Class 7 (Radioactive) Materials

Hazardous Materials: Enhancing Rail Transportation Safety and Security for Hazardous Materials Shipments, Federal Register, November 26, 2008 http://www.fra.dot.gov/downloads/counsel/EnhancingRailTransportationSafetyAndSacurityForHazardousMaterialsShipments.pdf

Association of American Railroads, Recommended Railroad Operating Practices For Transportation of Hazardous Materials http://boe.aar.com/boe/pdf/CPC-1220_OT-55-L.pdf

American Waterway Operators, Facts About the American Tugboat, Towboat and Barge Industry, http://www.americanwaterways.com/industry_stats/facts_about_ind/factsabout.pdf