--- In [email protected], "shabbona_rr" <user141...@...> wrote:
>
> I did, however, have an older tank car split an end and begin pouring
> gasoline all over the ground, in a refinery of all places. That got some
> attention, I'll guarantee it!
>
> Bob Nicholson ________________________________
>
Back in those good ole brewing days, before fire brewing capability was
installed in our Los Angeles (Van Nuys) brewery, we shipped heavy beer in
special rail tank reefers. There were 53' mechanical reefers that had their
ends removed so an 18,000 gallon stainless tank on skids could slide in one
end. Then the car's end was welded back in place. Originally the tanks were a
complete unit, all the auxiliary counter pressure and CIP piping was attached
to supports welded to the tank.
Well, when you full several railroad cars with heavy beer and send them Detroit
to LA at the end of an expedited GM parts train interesting things start to
happen... As the car rolls along the dynamic forces basically twist the tank
on the longitudinal axis (parallel to the rails). That pretty quickly broke
the welds on the pipe supports and released any minimal counter pressure in the
tank. That caused some small leaks but a little beer dripping out the reefer
door in a dry Kansas county wasn't all bad...!
When the car arrived in LA the fun really started. When you re-pressurized the
tank with 15 PSI CO2 to push out the contents, all those broken support cracks
below the liquid level began to spray beer in all directions. All you could do
was stand in the "rain" until the liquid height fell below the cracks. Wasn't
as serious as a leaking gasoline tank car, but it did get a lot of attention,
including the LA sanitary district!! Needless to say, those pipe supports were
subsequently welded to the interior of the mechanical reefer and left off the
tank!! No more heavy Fire Brewed Stroh's for free in a Kansas siding!
Jim Kindraka
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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