Environmental Risk Analysis of Chemicals Transported in Railroad Tank Cars

This study assesses the risk to soil and groundwater in the event of a spill of hazardous materials transported in railroad tank cars. Tank cars are designed to be resistant to damage in accidents to reduce the probability of a spill. For safety and economic reasons, the damage-resistant design of tank cars is commensurate with the degree of hazard posed by the product they are intended to transport. The second objective of the research was to analyse the cost-effectiveness of replacing current tank cars used for the chemicals under consideration with more robust tank car alternatives.