CSX and atomic waste in Cambridge MA

Nukengineer wrote:There are different types of waste shipments. Most items shipped are called "low level waste" which is mainly radioactive contaminated items like pipes, paper, plastic and such. I have several pictures of a Guilford train with 9 cars of this stuff going through Dearfield in 2004. If you didnt read the fine pring on the cars, you wouldnt know what they were carrying. The other type is "high level waste" This is typically spent fuel, control rods, pressure vessels and other items that are neutron irradiated (in addition to being contaminated). These are the items you see in the special cars (shipping container on flat car) that can withstand the 'plausable event' of an aircraft crashing into the car after it has fallen 100 feet and then burnt for an hour in 3000 degree flames (or something like that). These loads are typically sent individually or in unit trains. Rare to see as nobody wants them around for any amount of time. These shipments now are probably going to DOE sites such as Hanford in Washington State or Savannah River in South Carolina. (or other places). These loads are the ones that typically have the guards/ police around. Most of these cars have the "Do not hump" placard on them.

now that that you bring it up I have seen Gondolas wraped with Tarps being shiped West on occation. I don't know where the cars came from but do recall seeing seveal shipments in early April-May 2006 in batches of 10-20 cars at a time with the Radioactive placerds on them with a 9 on the bottom of the placered I my self sutter when I see them cars. Haveng experienced the real liveing hell of Chernobyl when I was 5 years old giveing the reason why I am now here in the U.S as a leagel citizen. i.e. slow mind, poor spelling, radiation dose some screwed up things to mind and body.

eotd wrote:A friend swears that the reactor housed at MIT in Cambridge, which the Grand Junction branch runs parallel to, is mandated by the city to only ship out waste by rail and not by truck. Does anyone have any information on this?

The only time I ever saw waste being shipped out of the MIT reactor was about six years ago and it was by tractor trailer.
I do find it interesting that no one ever worries about the radioactive fuel being shipped into these facilities!
Just an observation....
Jerry Kelley

The reactor was still in operation when I was there (Class of 1997 undergrad, class of 2001 grad) and it is a pretty small open-pool jobbie. The core is very small but we did get to irradiate some things in it.

In any case, I think I would feel safer with waste going by train than by truck....

FatNoah wrote:The reactor was still in operation when I was there (Class of 1997 undergrad, class of 2001 grad) and it is a pretty small open-pool jobbie. The core is very small but we did get to irradiate some things in it.

In any case, I think I would feel safer with waste going by train than by truck....

Well, when you see the condition of the streets in Cambridge and Boston, that starts to sound like a good idea.