Analyzing Routes for the Transportation of Hazardous Materials Including Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel by Use of Effective Risk Estimation

Abstract

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) contributes to the routing of railroad movements through its regulatory program by assuring that all routes are safe for all commodities. The salient fact is that the safe transportation of hazardous materials by rail depends on the safety of the total rail system. That is, like all freight cars, those carrying hazardous materials must comply with federal equipment standards: they traverse track subject to federal track standards and signal system rules, both of which limit permissible speeds; they are subject to various operating rules; and the train crews must obey statutory hours-of-service limitations.

As a potential element in reducing the risks posed by rail transportation of hazardous materials, routing was previously examined by FRA and others. These include the General Accounting Office (GAO), the Department of Energy (DOE), ALK Associates, Inc., and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, all of which have studied various approaches to rail routing. These studies have identified a number of factors related to routing that can contribute to risk reduction, including track quality, population densities, elapsed time in transit and the length and directness of a route.

Currently, FRA’s policy on spent nuclear fuel shipments is to inspect the entire rail route twice a year, operating practices annually and the equipment prior to each shipment.