ATCCRP

To foster CI's efforts in achieving zero chlorine tank car releases, the Institute participated in a collaborative group made up of industry and government representatives, the Advanced Tank Car Collaborative Research Program (ATCCRP), established to achieve just that. The organizations that participated in the program include:

• Government
  • Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
  • Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA)
  • US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Science & Technology 
  • Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
  • Transport Canada
• Industry
  • The Chlorine Institute
  • American Chemistry Council
  • The Fertilizer Institute
  • Association of American Railroads
  • Railway Supply Institute

ATCCRP's mission was designed to address the severe public safety risks anytime a toxic-inhalation-hazard (TIH) chemical is released. As producers, shippers, carriers and railcar builders, we understand our responsibility to protect the public while providing a means to get the public those chemicals which are critical to our quality of life and public health. To achieve its mission, ATCCRP's primary objective was to develop a rail car design that significantly reduces the likelihood of a release given an accident.

ATCCRP's primary vision was to create a rail environment with zero releases of TIH materials due to accident or security incidents. This is objective was accomplished by collaborative scientific research to develop the technology that can be used to design a rail car that pushes existing science to allow construction of a rail car that provides maximum puncture resistance and is also economically viable. Projects were funded equally by both government and industry parties.

In 2016, the ATCCRP partners petitioned PHMSA and Transport Canada to recommend the “interim” TIH tank car specifications be adopted as permanent, since the research did not identify tank car design concepts that resulted in a significant improvement in puncture resistance while remaining feasible to manufacture.  This recommendation was adopted by Transport Canada in 2019 (through the TP 14877 rail standard) and by PHMSA in 2020 (through the HM-219C Final Rule). The industry partners of ATCCRP recently concluded their joint efforts at the end of 2020. A copy of the project executive summary can be requested from CI. 

Sample ATCCRP Projects

• Correlating Material Properties to Puncture Resistance
• Analysis of Different Impactor Threats and Impact Conditions
• Modeling Composite Materials
• Expanding and Updating Conditional Probability of Release Estimates
• Development of the Relationship Between Conditional Probability of Release and Modeling and Test Results
• Testing and Modeling Protocols for Approval of New Tank Car Designs