United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region III
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

The Tank Car Corporation of America Site was the location of a railroad tank car manufacturing and rehabilitation facility operating in Oreland, PA, for most of the 20th century.  The facility is located at the intersection of Walnut Ave. and Oreland Mills Rd. along the railroad tracks.  The facility includes several buildings, a paint shop, and several sidings on which tank cars are still located.

The OSC began evaluating this property in April 2006 by coordinating with entities seeking to sell and/or purchase the property.  The OSC receieved environmental data which indicated that several tank cars and underground tanks (believed to be railroad tank cars) contain hazardous substances. Additionally, the soil and the ground water contain hazardous substances.  Notable contaminants include chlorinated organics (e.g., trichloroethene), napthalene compounds, and ammonia.  

The property continued to be involved with negotiations for potential sale, but no definitive resolution of the waste storage and threats was ultimately resolved. In January 2007, the OSC sought approval for funding for a time-critical removal action and the Region issued a Unilateral Administrative Order for the characterization and removal of the contents of the tanks.

A Response Action Plan was subsequently approved and the Respondent (Tank Car Corporation of America) initiated field sampling activities in April 2007.  The anlaytical results of the contents of the tank cars indicates that the materials are hazardous due to elevated concentrations of chlorinated organic compounds (e.g., 1,2 dichloroethane)and benzene.

The Respondent initiated removal of tank liquids in July 2007.  There are 6 tanks that require liquid removal:

AST-1 railroad tankcar on rail
AST-2 railroad tankcar on rail
AST-5 railroad tankcar on blocks
UST-1 buried tankcar
UST-2 buried tankcar
UST-3 buried tankcar

These and other railcars on the Site will be emptied and scrapped during the removal action.  

(A) Respondent initiated removal of tank liquids in July 2007.

(B) During the week of July 30th, the Respondent to the Order (Tank Car Corporation of America) initiated removal of the liquids from the 3 buried tankcars (UST 1 through 3)and the 2 tank cars on the tracks (AST 1 and 2).  A total of 13,330 gallons were removed from the USTs and a total of 28,601 gallons were removed from the AST-1 and AST-2 (note this discrepancy from previous POLREP). All pumpable liquids were removed from the USTs and AST-1 and AST-2 tanks by August 10, 2007.    

(C) On September 19 and October 20, 2007, the contents of AST-5 (ammonia) were removed.  A total of 7518 gallons of ammonia waste were removed and disposed.

(D) a resiudal solid material found in AST-4 was removed from the Site and disposed.

(E) All pumpable liquids were removed from tanks by January 11, 2008.  A solidified pile of tank residue remains covered on the Site and in roll-off containers at the Site awaiting disposal.

(A) Complete disposal activity relating to tanks.

(B) Remove and dispose of small containers as requested by PADEP.