Ethanol Tank Cars On A Roll !

Lucky motorists avoid a potential catastrophe!

Motorists at a grade crossing in Fairmont, Minnesota, bear first hand witness to tankers filled with ethanol derail and roll like dominoes.

The scary moments captured by the driver show the initial slow motion derailment as the wheels ride up over the pavement. This sets the chain reaction of events that followed as the driver pans right with with camera.

All of this leads us to the question: How much ethanol or oil does a rail car hold?

On average, a tank car holds 636 barrels of oil or ethanol depending on the type of liquid. Barrel count also depends on the weight of the crude whether it is heavy or light.

Since oil tank cars are more or less built to Federal Railway Administration standards for GWR (gross weight on the rail) and a load capacity of 286,000 lbs per tank car.. Some tank cars weigh more or less when empty depending on the material used in construction, but cannot go over the 286,000 lb limit when filled.

So, how many cars do you think were full or empty? Let us know what you think!