New Railcar Designed to Transport Spent Nuclear Fuel Completes Final Testing

[Celerity]

https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/new-railcar-designed-transport-spent-nuclear-fuel-completes-final-testing

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently completed a 1,600-mile round-trip journey from Colorado to Idaho to wrap up final testing on the Atlas railcar. The new specialized railcar will be used to safely and securely transport the nation’s commercial spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Atlas could be cleared for operational use before the end of the year.

Getting “On Track”

Atlas is a 12-axle railcar designed specifically to transport large containers of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste and meets the highest safety standards set by the Association of American Railroads (AAR). The final test simulated a full-scale shipment of spent nuclear fuel, carrying steel test weights instead of radioactive cargo.

The railcar was loaded to its maximum weight with a 480,000-pound test load designed to simulate the heaviest transport container certified by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The train departed from Pueblo, Colorado, on September 5 and completed a successful four-day round-trip journey to Scoville, Idaho, collecting valuable data along the way. Atlas was accompanied by a rail escort vehicle (REV), two buffer railcars, and two Union Pacific Railroad locomotives. The entire trip logged more than 1,680 total miles.

“This milestone underscores the Department’s dedication to advancing the safe and secure transportation of radioactive materials, including spent nuclear fuel,” said Dr. Patrick R. Schwab, DOE’s Atlas railcar project manager. “Through the successful completion of the test and the Atlas railcar project, we have delivered a capability for the Department to effectively transport spent nuclear fuel to future DOE storage and disposal facilities, filling a key role for successful operation of a nuclear waste management system.”

Next Stop: Consent-Based Siting..............



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