Buffer Cars for Hazmat Loads at Interchange

[Guilford Railman]

Looking to see if anyone knows how interchange OPs work with buffer cars on hazmat loads. Do prototype railroads leave the buffer car with the rest of the interchange cars or do they take it back with them?

 

[santafewillie]

What I have observed at the BNSF/CPKC interchange nearby (now known as Krum Junction), is that the buffer cars stay with the motive power that brings them. But that being said, it is also rare that the two interchange many hazardous materials there to begin with. What I see more often is the hazardous materials coming in a late afternoon train that CPKC runs directly into the Alliance Yard from Krum Junction, about 30 miles north of the yard. May be different elsewhere.

 

[Guilford Railman]

What I have observed at the BNSF/CPKC interchange nearby (now known as Krum Junction), is that the buffer cars stay with the motive power that brings them. But that being said, it is also rare that the two interchange many hazardous materials there to begin with. What I see more often is the hazardous materials coming in a late afternoon train that CPKC runs directly into the Alliance Yard from Krum Junction, about 30 miles north of the yard. May be different elsewhere.

Okay, that’s what I was thinking would be the case but I wasn’t sure entirely. I suppose every railroad is different and has their own ways of doing things. Thanks for the info!

 

[cv_acr]

Unit trains usually run through as a set - including the buffers.

Hazmat in normal trains doesn't used "buffer" cars, they just put another other regular cars that would be in the train anyway in between.

 

[Guilford Railman]

Unit trains usually run through as a set - including the buffers.

Hazmat in normal trains doesn't used "buffer" cars, they just put another other regular cars that would be in the train anyway in between.

I'm modeling an interchange and during my OPs sometimes only a pair of ethanol tanks will be setout for the other RR. You're definitely correct tho about mixed freights using other cars in between hazmats. I'll be modeling this when I can, except for the occasional oddball scenario mentioned above. Thanks for the feedback!