Railcar completes DOE used fuel transport system

Thursday, 27 January 2022

The Association of American Railroads (AAR), which sets safety, security and operating standards across the USA's freight rail network, last year approved the building and testing of the heavy-duty, flat-deck Fortis railcar.

DOE's request for proposals includes the fabrication of a prototype Fortis railcar, acquisition of instrumented wheelsets necessary to measure railcar performance, and conducting the railcar testing required by AAR Standard S-2043, Performance Specification for Trains Used to Carry High-Level Radioactive Material.

The design for the railcar will be provided to the contractor by DOE, and the Fortis project will receive technical support for fabrication and testing from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Commercial used nuclear fuel is packaged in containers weighing between 80 and 210 tons, the DOE said, which is beyond legal weight limits for truck transport in the USA. Rail is the preferred mode to move these containers.

"DOE has already designed and fabricated the 12-axle Atlas railcar that is currently undergoing testing. Together the Fortis and Atlas railcars will provide DOE with a capability to move radioactive materials safely and efficiently by 2027," it said.

Completing the system

Earlier this month, the DOE announced the start of testing of the REV, which it described as the "last piece" of a complete railcar system for the transport of used nuclear fuel to disposal and storage facilities across the country.

Jointly developed by the US Navy and the DOE, the REV is designed to transport onboard security personnel during the shipment of used fuel and HLW, providing a comfortable living and working environment equipped with security features, including cameras and communications equipment, to provide enhanced surveillance of shipments throughout the journey.

The REV project was initiated by the US Navy's Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program to replace its ageing fleet of escort vehicles and has been designed to meet the AAR's highest standard for railcars, DOE said. DOE contributed more than USD10 million to the design and fabrication of the REV project.

The REV was built by Vigor Works in Portland, Oregon, and has already completed electrical and plumbing systems testing. Single-car performance testing has already been carried out on an earlier prototype of the vehicle. The REV will now take part in two years of multiple-car tests in Colorado as part of a complete train consisting of the Atlas railcar, buffer railcars and the REV.