Open AccessForensic Analysis Of An Overheated Railway Tank Car
Author(s) -
Michael M. Sampsel
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of the national academy of forensic engineers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.102
H-Index - 1
eISSN - 2379-3252
pISSN - 2379-3244
DOI - 10.51501/jotnafe.v20i1.610
Subject(s) - truck , engineering , hazardous waste , lawsuit , work (physics) , gallon (us) , anhydrous , forensic engineering , transport engineering , civil engineering , waste management , law , mechanical engineering , aerospace engineering , chemistry , organic chemistry , political science
This Paper Presents The Technique Of An Engineering Analysis Of A Railway Tank Car Anhydrous Ammonia Leak. The Tank Car Had Been Sitting In The Open For Several Days In A Semi-Arid, Desert Like Region Of The Southwestern United States. Introduction Approximately Two Years After An Oklahoma Chemical Plant Had Shipped A 32,000 Gallon Railway Tank Car Of Anhydrous Ammonia, It Was Informed That It Had Been Named In A Lawsuit. The Tank Car Had Apparently Leaked Some Unknown Amount Of The Anhydrous Ammonia, Classified As A Hazardous Material, While Parked On A Rail Siding In El Centro, California, In September 1989. The Dark Colored Car Had Been Sitting On A Rail Siding For 15 Days Awaiting Delivery To Its Final Destination Near El Centro. The Area Is A Semi-Arid Agricultural Region In Southern California, Approximately 70 Miles Inland From The Coast And San Diego. A Well Known Defense Attorney In San Diego, California, Began Evaluating The Case And Assembling A Defense Team. Ultimately The Defense Team Would Consist Of Several Medical Experts, A Mechanical Engineer, An Industrial Hygienist, A Department Of Transportation Regulatory Expert, And A Meteorologist. The Team Started Work In May 1995. This Paper Will Cover Only The Mechanical Engineering Analysis Issues Involved In The Litigation.