# THAT SUCKS!!



## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

Nice tank car.....uuuppss!
http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/2008...ions-work/


Manfred


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## Tom Parkins (Jan 2, 2008)

Man that does suck. I take it that the implosion there was staged, but that apparently it really happened where a maintenance man was steam cleaning the inside, left and closed the hatch. I am just amazed how fast that it happens. I've done that trick dozens of times with soda cans and it goes fast, but every time I do it with 1 gal cans it goes much slower. Sounds like a job for Mythbusters. 

Tom


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

When you implode a gas can, the flat sides deform more easily as the internal pressure drops below the atmospheric pressure and the can crushes slowly. In the tank car demo (as in demonstration as well as demolition!) it was filled with liquid and sealed at the top, then the drain was opened. As the liquid drains the internal pressure drops, but the cylindrical shape of the tank car does not deform until it reaches a critical level where it suddenly gives and the whole thing collapses. WHUMP!

I have seen the result of a covered hopper that had partially collapsed due to the top hatch not being opened (like the instructions stenciled all over the sides of the car state to do) and it had started to deform as soon as the drain had been opened and the worker quickly closed the drain to stop it. But getting the top hatches opened had to wait until the enough air had leaked in to allow the worker to get the hatch open as the vacuum was holding it down pretty good.

You'd think they would be smart enough to put some sort of safety valve on them things to keep them from being destroyed this way, but I know it happens so apparently there is no safety valve on them.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

By accident as Tom said....




































Beyond the Rip track fer sure....

John


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## Pete Chimney (Jan 12, 2008)

Now comes the tricky part, scapping the car. The hazmat placard, although I cannot read the identifying number, is for a flammable material. Cutting into the tank to cu it into pieces would not be advisable. Could they drain as much liquid as possible and then fill the tank with nitrogen or CO2? It appears this is an unloading dock fora refinery or other chemical plant, an exploding car is to be avoided.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I'd call the big hook and set it on a long flat car or two... haul away and then dismantle it. 

Storyline was steam cleaned and sealed, then the outside temp dropped past freezing...

John


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## pk (Jul 6, 2008)

Posted By Pete Chimney on 28 Nov 2010 05:47 AM 
Now comes the tricky part, scapping the car. The hazmat placard, although I cannot read the identifying number, is for a flammable material. Cutting into the tank to cu it into pieces would not be advisable. Could they drain as much liquid as possible and then fill the tank with nitrogen or CO2? It appears this is an unloading dock fora refinery or other chemical plant, an exploding car is to be avoided.


The placard (1993) is for diesel fuel. Scrapping couldn't be that difficult. I'm sure the scrappy brought one of his big shears mounted on an excavator, rolled the thing off it's trucks into the road and sheared it up into managable pieces that got dropped into an end dump.

 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3011...ef.jpg?v=0


 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3043...36.jpg?v=0

http://excavatorbucket.net/yahoo_si...35_std.jpg


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

When I used to do "Science is fun" demonstrations in elementary schools. I did a similar demonstration. You need a metal can with a screw cap, such as a Maple syrup or paint thinner can. If you use a can that had a flammable liquid like paint thinner, thoroughly wash it out until you can no longer smell the solvent.

Put about a quarter of a cup of water in the can and *with the top off, *put it on a heat source and bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil and steam is coming out the top *turn off the heat and remove it from the heat* screw on the cap. Sit back and watch. In a few moments the steam in the can will start to condense and the internal pressure will drop. It won't be long before an invisible hand will crush the can.


Chuck


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Wasn't the gas tanks on the old Volkswagon Beatles noted for doing that when the vent port got pluged up?


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## hawkeye2 (Jan 6, 2008)

Doesn't have to be just a Vdub, it can happen to any car. Do NOT try to reinflate one using compressed air!


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