Ultra Track Pan Railroad Spill Containment

Ultra Track Railcar Track Pans Railroad Spill Containment is one of a kind solution to railcar and locomotive spills. This unit is designed to contain the spillage of hazardous materials which can cause significant damage to the surrounding environment and as a result, you may end up paying heavy fines. The unit is large enough to handle bulk spill; the storage capacity increases as needed and as the spill flows to the neighboring pans. The unit is in compliance with a number of regulations and has a working life of 20 to 30 years. Hence it is safe to say that the unit pays for itself many times over as you save a lot of money in regulatory fines and costly cleanups.

Approximately 1.7 million carloads of hazardous materials are loaded and transported by rail annually in North America. Even with comprehensive safety procedures and well-trained personnel, railcar and locomotive spills are a fact of life. This top load spill of caustic acid occurred only hours after the installation was completed on a large ultra track pan system. Key features and benefits of the ultra track pans include the prevention of costly cleanup and regulatory fines. Ultra track pans are designed to isolate spills from the environment. The patent in modular design allows track pans to be assembled in any length desired. The sealed system is also patented and keeps spills from falling between the rails and pans, ultra track pans are competitively priced and pay for themselves many times over, should a spill occur.

Installation of the track pans is simple and requires no heavy equipment. Small, portable track pans systems can be specified to capture nuisance spills and leaks, each center pan, and side pan is four and a half feet long. This nine-foot system consists of two center pans and four side pans. All track pan modules are connected end to end with bulkhead fittings. The fittings act as flow-through channels. Containment capacity is increased as spills flow to adjacent pans. The fittings are gas-kitted to assure a leak-proof seal. Simple hand tools are all that is needed to connect track pan modules. This track pan installation is 600 feet long and it accommodates 12 rail cars. The flexible design of the ultra track pans allows users to specify any length of system desired, to meet their specific needs. More on railroad construction.

These can range from small spill pads such as the popular nine-foot and thirteen and a half foot systems to much longer systems, designed to capture catastrophic spills. The all-polyethylene track pans are compatible with a broad range of chemicals and petroleum-based products. Track pans have been engineered to withstand the rugged conditions, found in rail sightings and rail-yards. Vehicles, including tanker trucks, can be driven over the track pans with no damage to the fans. Cement or asphalt must be used to ramp up to the side pans, polyethylene gaskets seal between the pans and rails. The gaskets are closed-cell and won’t soak up any liquid.

Ultra track pans perform at a high level under a variety of conditions. They’re estimated to have a twenty to thirty-year working life. The durable units flex with the rails as cars roll over the tracks, track pans offer a working temperature range of 40 below to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Sealing gaskets channel spills into the pans away from the rails.

Managing stormwater is a critical need for any outdoor containment product. The arrows here show ultra tracks unique stormwater feature coupled with heavy-duty grading and flexible polyethylene covers combine to offer significant benefits related to storm-water management. The illustration we’re going to show you will explain how the patented stormwater feature works. Clean rainwater falls on top of the center pan covers and is channeled toward the stormwater feature, the water then cascades down the large spout molded into the center pan cover and is stopped by the black sealing gasket. The gasket is seated just below the storm-water ports, the water then passes through these ports and stays out of the center pans. The clean water drains on top of the ballast and ties beneath the pans. The rain that falls on top of the side pan covers simply runs off the outer edge of the covers, much like rain flows off a sloped rooftop.

Ultra track pans comply with multiple regulations, considered a best management practice they help me Federal storm-water regulations required by the EPA’s Clean Water Act. Track pans meet New York State’s chemical bulk storage regulations, they also help facilities comply with local state and federal regulations that protect soil and groundwater from contamination. Track pan installation begins with minor surface preparation including leveling of the ballast and securing loose spikes. Track pans and their components are packaged separately to eliminate damage during shipment and to maintain quality control.

Center track pans are typically installed first, a narrow gasket is placed into the rail web followed by a larger contour gasket. The larger gasket has an outer lip that matches up with the top edge of the center pan. Next, a one by four and two large C clamps are used to temporarily compress the gasket set. This simple process creates enough void space between the opposite rail and the center pan to install a duplicate set of gaskets. The c-clamps are then released leaving both gaskets sets compressed equally, a liquid-tight seal is achieved. More on Loading Leak Prevention

Doughnut-shaped sealing gaskets are used to connect the end of the pan to the end. Once the pans are aligned, flow-through bulkhead fittings are installed and tightened. The installation of the side pans is very similar to that of the center pans. Once the track gaskets are in place, the C clamps are used to compress the gaskets. 24-inch long re-bar fasteners are then driven into the ground to secure the side pans against the rails, red protective caps are placed over the top of each re-bar fastener for safety. These steps are repeated to add additional track pan modules to the system.

In this example we have completed assembly of a nine-foot track pan system, grates and covers can easily be added. This is the center pan storm waterspout as discussed earlier the black gasket plays a critical role in keeping the rain out of the center pans. All track pans grate center covers and side covers feature a slip-resistant top surface. Thumb like protrusions is molded into the undersides of all track pan covers. These fit snugly into the holes and the grates to keep the covers from blowing off in windy conditions. Track pan covers also feature an overlapping lip, this lip keeps rain from entering the pans where they join together. Covers should be removed just before or just after a railcar arrives, we have now completed the assembly of a nine-foot ultra track pan system with grates and covers.

Track pans can be installed to handle catastrophic spills with the addition of below-grade piping, standard piping is laid in shallow trenches then connected to the pans. Each track pan is molded with multiple recesses at their low points, any of which can be drilled out to accept this large bulkhead fitting. Multiple pipe recesses are provided to assure that pipes can be installed without moving ties. The pipes can be run to retention ponds, oil-water separator, stationary tanks, or in this case an in-ground sump [Music]

Outfitted with ultra track pans, this facility is now prepared for a catastrophic railcar spill. Ultra track pans reduce corporate liability, protect the environment, and prevent costly cleanup and regulatory fines.