TELONE™ Tip Sheet: Railcar Receiving and Release

Posted on | by Justin Harrison

TELONE™ has a complex supply chain, and throughout it’s journey to a customer, it travels by boat, truck, and rail. Railcars are a huge part of the logistics puzzle, and it’s vital we maintain proper railcar receiving and release procedures to ensure proper stewardship while TELONE™ is being transported from site to site.

In addition to cleaning, inspecting, and certifying our TELONE™ rail fleet as part of ongoing railcar maintenance, we also rigorously inspect each car to meet or exceed all DOT and FRA qualifications. We also want to make sure that customers are inspecting railcars upon receipt and before release. We have put together a helpful checklist for customers to follow when they receive a TELONE™ railcar, or when they are releasing a railcar back after unloading TELONE™.

We know that growers rely on TELONE™ to be their best defense against nematodes. That’s why we work hard to keep stewardship top-of-mind throughout our supply chain and logistics, ensuring TELONE™ is safely transported, stored, and handled and will be available for generations to come.

Let’s dive in:

UPON RECEIVING A RAILCAR FROM TELEOS AG SOLUTIONS:

These procedures are for reference. Your facility should create a site-specific procedure given your unique equipment configurations and BMP’s.

ATTENTION! RAILCAR UNLOADING/LOADING REQUIRES TWO (2) QUALIFIED PERSONS TO BE PRESENT.

  1. Spot and protect the railcar with derails or switch closures and blue flags or blue lights. Blue flags are required for railcar loading/ unloading per DOT or Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations. Chock wheels in both directions and set hand brakes, if applicable.
  2. Post signs that state “NO SMOKING WITHIN 50 FEET” along with required traffic barricades.
  3. Visually check the exterior of the railcar for defects or hazards.
  4. Connect grounding and bonding cables.
  5. Ensure all facility safety equipment is functioning properly. This includes fire extinguisher, safety shower, and eye wash station.
  6. Verify the contents (material and quantity) by the bill of lading and outlet tag or railcar commodity stenciling.
  7. Check and record the receiving tank contents and initial level. Verify with the bill of lading that the tank is capable of accommodating the full contents of the railcar without overflowing. Additionally, ensure that the unloading line for the railcar is dedicated and in good condition, with no external cracks. Verify that the unloading line is labeled and goes to the proper tank. High-liquid level detection should be interlocked to avoid overfilling tanks.
  8. Verify bulk tank has the current label with the EPA Establishment Number corresponding to the location where the product was produced. If not, attach the bulk tank labels supplied by Teleos Ag Solutions.
  9. Properly position the gangway or loading platform, if present.
  10. Inspect for intact seals and record seal numbers.
  11. Secure the dome lid open to prevent accidental closure during unloading.
  12. Inspect the railcar, check flanges, piping, and valves for tight seal. Examine the dry-disconnect fittings for good condition and good gaskets.
  13. Don appropriate PPE per product label for liquid-contact potential.
  14. If a vapor return line is used, connect it to the railcar. Open valves in the vapor line between the railcar and bulk tank. If vapor exchange is not used, the railcar must be supplied with nitrogen make-up gas supply.
  15. Connect the liquid transfer hose between the railcar and the pump suction connection. Open the proper valves on the railcar and tank to transfer.
  16. Prime and start the pump. Double-check the lines, railcar, and tank for leaks and proper alignment. If leaks are discovered, stop the operation and repair. During transfer, verify that the bulk tank level is increasing and the vent is functioning.
  17. Avoid large heels left due to a vortex in the rail car outlet by throttling the transfer rate from the output side of the pump when the tank car is roughly 75% empty. Purge transfer hose to remove product residue.
Check out this video for a brief overview highlighting the main steps for unloading a TELONE™ railcar.

BEFORE RELEASING A RAILCAR TO TELEOS TERMINAL:

These procedures are for reference. Your facility should create a site-specific procedure given your unique equipment configurations and BMP’s.

ATTENTION! RAILCAR UNLOADING/LOADING REQUIRES TWO (2) QUALIFIED PERSONS TO BE PRESENT.

  1. When the transfer is complete, elevate the hose and “walk” it toward the pump suction to pump the hose dry. Close the liquid line valves, starting from the railcar toward the bulk tank. Shut off the transfer pump.
  2. Disconnect the transfer hose from the railcar.
  3. Close vapor line valves and disconnect the vapor line.
  4. Confirm that residual excess pressure is not present in the railcar. A slight (<1 psig) pressure is preferred.
  5. Check that the volume increase in the bulk tank is equal to the billed railcar contents.
  6. Ensure that transfer lines are not hydrostatically filled with product.
  7. Cap or plug all connections on the bulk tank, hose, and railcar. Ensure valve covers are in place and secured with zip-ties provided. Stow the transfer hose.
  8. Make final visual check of railcar valves, rupture disc, safety vents, gauging devices, internal valve rod packing gland, and caps. Gauging devices and thermowell covers must be tightened against O-ring seal. All other plugs and fittings must be tight.
  9. Close the dome lid and secure it with the cable seal provided. Record seal number.
  10. Raise or clear any loading platform or gangway.
  11. Assure proper placards are in place. Use UN2903, these can be ordered from the Teleos Ag Solutions label order portal.
  12. Verify railcar inspection is within the prescribed interval.
  13. Verify railcar is free from obvious residue from spills.
  14. Remove ground cables, signs, and barricades.
  15. Remove derails, blue flags, and chocks. Release hand brakes.
  16. Complete the TELONE™ Rail Release Checklist from and submit to stewardship@teleosagsolutions.com
  17. Release the railcar for departure.

NOTICE: The information, procedures, methods, and recommendations herein are presented in good faith and are believed to be accurate and reliable as of the publication date but may well be incomplete and/or not applicable to all conditions or situations. No representation, guarantee, or warranty is made as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of said information, procedures, methods, and recommendations. Nor is any representation, guarantee, or warranty made that application or use of any of the same will avoid hazards, accidents, losses, damages, or injury of any kind to persons or property, or give desired results, or that the same will not infringe patents of others. Nor does the information, procedures, methods, and recommendations herein represent the views of any organization or person other than that of the author unless explicitly noted. Readers must satisfy themselves as to the suitability of said information, procedures, methods, and recommendations prior to use.

Disclaimer:
The resources and information provided are meant purely for educational discussion, contains only general information about legal matters, and is not to be construed as advice. Please note that any information or resources provided are not legal or regulatory advice, and should not be treated as such. You must not rely on the information provided as an alternative to legal advice from your attorney or other professional services. Teleos Ag encourages readers to consult with counsel, and their local, county, and state regulators. We make no representations or warranties, express or implied, in relation to the information provided through our resources and blog posts. It is the readers responsibility to know the laws related to 1,3- D, appropriate PPE, Licensing, etc., in his or her City, County, State, and Country.

Justin Harrison
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