A Closer Look at Train Traffic Near the Shell Plastics Plant

What’s Moving In and Out by Rail:

A Closer Look at Train Traffic Near the Shell Plastics Plant

The Beaver County Train Cam Project is a new initiative launched by the Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community (BCMAC) in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University’s CREATE Lab and the Breathe Project. The goal is simple: to monitor rail activity near local industrial sites and document what’s moving through our communities. By capturing and analyzing this data, we aim to help residents stay informed, understand potential risks, and advocate for transparency and accountability.

This fact sheet summarizes key findings from an initial 10-day observation period. Since then, we’ve installed a 24/7 camera system to continuously document rail traffic in the area.

How Busy Is the Rail Line?

• Weekdays: 2 trains in, 2 trains out per day
• Weekends: 1 train in, 1 train out per day
• Weekly Total: 12 inbound trains, 12 outbound trains
• Operating Hours: Between 10:23 AM and 7:09 PM

What’s Riding the Rails?

Trains arriving at Shell typically carry empty hopper cars and centerbeam cars. Once loaded, they leave filled with:

• Plastic pellets (nurdles) – a key product of Shell’s plant

Over a 10-day period, Shell shipped:

• 511 nurdle cars, averaging 50 per day
• Daily range: 20 to 86 cars

How Many Nurdles Leave Each Week?

Each hopper car can carry up to 221,700 lbs or 6,245 cubic feet of nurdles.
If fully loaded, that means Shell is sending out:

• 5,542 tons of nurdles per day (avg)
• Over 16 million gallons of nurdles per week
  • That’s enough to fill 24 Olympic swimming pools—each week.

Hazardous Materials on the Move

Over a 10-day observation period:

• 125 tanker cars labeled as hazardous were observed entering the site
• 77% of inbound trains to the observed site had the same hazard designation and emergency response procedure as Vinyl Chloride
• 67% of outbound trains to the observed site had the same hazard designation and emergency response procedure as Vinyl Chloride

What’s Coming In

Butadienes & Hydrocarbon Mixture – Stabilized

UN Number: 1010 | Class 2.1 (Flammable Gas)
Seen on 50% of cars entering Shell

Fire or Explosion Hazards:

• Extremely flammable and easily ignited by heat, sparks, or flames.
• Forms explosive mixtures with air.
• Vapors heavier than air; spread along ground.
• May travel to ignition sources and flash back.
• Containers and cylinders may explode or rocket when heated.
• Silane (UN2203) may ignite spontaneously.
• Some substances may polymerize explosively in fire.

Health Hazards:

• Can cause dizziness, asphyxiation, burns, or frostbite.
• May be toxic at high concentrations.
• Fire may produce toxic gases.

Nonodorized Liquefied Petroleum Gases

UN Number: 1075 | Class 2.1 (Flammable Gas)
Seen on 27% of cars entering Shell

Fire or Explosion Hazards:

• Extremely flammable and easily ignited.
• Forms explosive air mixtures.
• Vapors heavier than air; may flash back.
• Containers may vent, explode, or rocket under heat.

Health Hazards:

• Risk of dizziness, asphyxiation, or frostbite.
• Inhalation may be irritating.
• Toxic gases possible in fire.

1-Hexene

UN Number: 2370 | Class 3 (Flammable Liquid)
Seen on 10% of cars entering Shell

Fire or Explosion Hazards:

• Highly flammable.
• Vapors can ignite and cause flashbacks.
• May explode when heated.
• Hazardous in confined or sewered areas.
• Often transported hot.

Health Hazards:

• Irritates or burns skin/eyes.
• Can cause dizziness or suffocation.
• Toxic gases and runoff pollution risk

Styrene Monomer, Stabilized

UN Number: 2055 | Class 3 (Flammable Liquid)
Seen on 2.5% of cars entering Shell

Fire or Explosion Hazards:

• Highly flammable.
• Vapors heavier than air, can spread to ignition sources.
• Explosion hazard in confined spaces (sewers, tanks).
• Runoff may cause fires or explosions.
• May polymerize explosively in fire.
• Often transported hot.

Health Hazards:

• Causes skin and eye irritation, dizziness, or suffocation.
• Toxic, corrosive gases released in fire.
• Runoff water may pollute.

Sodium Hydroxide Solution

UN Number: 1824 | Class 8 (Corrosive)
Seen on 1.6% of cars entering Shell

Fire or Explosion Hazards:

• Non-combustible but decomposes into toxic fumes.
• Can ignite combustibles when heated.
• Contact with metal may release hydrogen gas.
• Containers may explode under heat.

Health Hazards:

• Highly toxic: causes severe injury or death if inhaled, ingested, or touches skin.
• Avoid any skin contact—burn risk from molten material.
• Delayed health effects possible.
• Fire and runoff may cause toxic pollution.

Flammable Liquids, N.O.S. (Not Otherwise Specified)

UN Number: 1993 | Class 3 (Flammable Liquid)
Seen on 1.6% of cars entering Shell

Fire or Explosion Hazards:

• Highly flammable with explosive vapor potential.
• Vapors heavier than air; can spread and ignite in confined areas.
• Polymerization and vapor explosion risk.
• Containers may explode when heated.
• Often transported hot.

Health Hazards:

• Skin and eye irritation or burns.
• Toxic or corrosive gases from fire.
• May cause dizziness or suffocation.
• Polluting runoff.

Butyl Acrylates, inhibited

UN Number: 2348 | Class 3 (Flammable Liquid)
Seen on 1.6% of cars entering Shell

Fire or Explosion Hazards:

• HIGHLY FLAMMABLE: Will be easily ignited by heat, sparks or flames.
• Vapors may form explosive mixtures with air.
• Vapors may travel to source of ignition and flash back.
• Most vapors are heavier than air. They will spread along ground and collect in low or confined areas (sewers, basements, tanks).
• Vapor explosion hazard indoors, outdoors or in sewers.
• Those substances designated with a (P) may polymerize explosively when heated or involved in a fire.
• Runoff to sewer may create fire or explosion hazard.
• Containers may explode when heated.
• Many liquids are lighter than water.

Health Hazards:

• May cause toxic effects if inhaled or absorbed through skin.
• Inhalation or contact with material may irritate or burn skin and eyes.
• Fire will produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases.
• Vapors may cause dizziness or suffocation.
• Runoff from fire control or dilution water may cause pollution.

What’s Going Out

Butadienes & Hydrocarbon Mixture – Stabilized

UN Number: 1010 | Class 2.1 (Flammable Gas)
Seen on 53% of cars exiting Shell

Fire or Explosion Hazards:

• Extremely flammable and easily ignited by heat, sparks, or flames.
• Forms explosive mixtures with air.
• Vapors heavier than air; spread along ground.
• May travel to ignition sources and flash back.
• Containers and cylinders may explode or rocket when heated.
• Silane (UN2203) may ignite spontaneously.
• Some substances may polymerize explosively in fire.

Health Hazards:

• Can cause dizziness, asphyxiation, burns, or frostbite.
• May be toxic at high concentrations.
• Fire may produce toxic gases.

Nonodorized Liquefied Petroleum Gases

UN Number: 1075 | Class 2.1 (Flammable Gas)
Seen on 14% of cars exiting Shell

Fire or Explosion Hazards:

• Extremely flammable and easily ignited.
• Forms explosive air mixtures.
• Vapors heavier than air; may flash back.
• Containers may vent, explode, or rocket under heat.

Health Hazards:

• Risk of dizziness, asphyxiation, or frostbite.
• Inhalation may be irritating.
• Toxic gases possible in fire.

Styrene Monomer, Stabilized

UN Number: 2055 | Class 3 (Flammable Liquid)
Seen on 9% of cars exiting Shell

Fire or Explosion Hazards:

• Highly flammable.
• Vapors heavier than air, can spread to ignition sources.
• Explosion hazard in confined spaces (sewers, tanks).
• Runoff may cause fires or explosions.
• May polymerize explosively in fire.
• Often transported hot.

Health Hazards:

• Causes skin and eye irritation, dizziness, or suffocation.
• Toxic, corrosive gases released in fire.
• Runoff water may pollute.

Methyl Methacrylate Monomer, Stabilized

UN Number: 1247 | Class 3 (Flammable Liquid)
Seen on 2.6% of cars exiting Shell

Fire or Explosion Hazards:

• Highly flammable with vapor ignition risk.
• Vapors heavier than air, collect in low spaces.
• May polymerize explosively.
• Runoff to sewers is hazardous.
• Often transported hot.

Health Hazards:

• Toxic if inhaled or absorbed.
• Causes skin/eye irritation and dizziness.
• Fire runoff may pollute.

1-Hexene

UN Number: 2370 | Class 3 (Flammable Liquid)
Seen on 2.6% of cars exiting Shell

Fire or Explosion Hazards:

• Highly flammable.
• Vapors can ignite and cause flashbacks.
• May explode when heated.
• Hazardous in confined or sewered areas.
• Often transported hot.

Health Hazards:

• Irritates or burns skin/eyes.
• Can cause dizziness or suffocation.
• Toxic gases and runoff pollution risk.

Pentanes

UN Number: 1265 | Class 3 (Flammable Liquid)
Seen on 2.6% of cars exiting Shell

Fire or Explosion Hazards:

• Highly flammable and easily ignited.
• Forms explosive mixtures with air.
• Vapors are heavier than air; may travel to ignition sources and flash back.
• Explosion hazard in sewers or confined spaces.
• Runoff may create explosion risks.
• May polymerize explosively in fire.
• Often transported hot.

Health Hazards:

• Irritating or burning to skin and eyes.
• Can cause dizziness or suffocation.
• Fire may produce toxic gases.
• Runoff may cause pollution.

Flammable Liquids, N.O.S. (Not Otherwise Specified)

UN Number: 1993 | Class 3 (Flammable Liquid)
Seen on 1.7% of cars exiting Shell

Fire or Explosion Hazards:

• Highly flammable with explosive vapor potential.
• Vapors heavier than air; can spread and ignite in confined areas.
• Polymerization and vapor explosion risk.
• Containers may explode when heated.
• Often transported hot.

Health Hazards:

• Skin and eye irritation or burns.
• Toxic or corrosive gases from fire.
• May cause dizziness or suffocation.
• Polluting runoff.

Sodium Hydroxide Solution

UN Number: 1824 | Class 8 (Corrosive)
Seen on <1% of cars exiting Shell

Fire or Explosion Hazards:

• Non-combustible but decomposes into toxic fumes.
• Can ignite combustibles when heated.
• Contact with metal may release hydrogen gas.
• Containers may explode under heat.

Health Hazards:

• Highly toxic: causes severe injury or death if inhaled, ingested, or touches skin.
• Avoid any skin contact—burn risk from molten material.
• Delayed health effects possible.
• Fire and runoff may cause toxic pollution.

Acrylonitrile, Stabilized

UN Number: 1903 | Class 8 (Corrosive & Flammable)
Seen on <1% of cars exiting Shell

Fire or Explosion Hazards:

• Highly flammable and vapor explosive.
• Vapors heavier than air; dangerous in sewers and low-lying spaces.
• Can polymerize explosively when heated.
• Poisonous vapor hazard indoors or out.
• Runoff and containers may cause explosions.
• Lighter than water, often transported hot.

Health Hazards:

• Extremely toxic: fatal if inhaled, ingested, or absorbed.
• Irritates or burns skin and eyes.
• Toxic gases in fire, dizziness or suffocation from vapors.
• Runoff may pollute.