Midland News & Press Releases

The lifespan of valves that are used to control and contain bulk materials transported via railcar – whether liquid, gas or solid – is finite. As mechanical instruments, it is inevitable that one day they will begin to break down or outright fail, which will prevent them from adequately and reliably doing the job for which they have been tasked.

There are a number of ways that chlorine carriers can find themselves out of compliance, often through no fault of their own. To aid in the never-ending battle to stay compliant, many railcar component developers and suppliers like Midland have made a commitment to designing Advanced Chlorine Railcar Assembly equipment that addresses all of the FRA, PHMSA and DHS compliance needs of chlorine carriers.

Completely overhauling or replacing your railcar valves every few years can be a time-consuming and expensive process. This has led many railcar valve manufacturers to begin offering remanufacturing and repair programs in which customers can send valves that have been in the field back to the manufacturer for testing, inspection and cleaning.

Railroad freight shipments are on track to surpass 24 billion in 2040. That is a 35% increase from 17.8 billion in 2017. Historically high levels of oil and natural gas production are driving this trend, raising the amount of hazardous materials being transported by rail. When combined with chlorine, anhydrous ammonia, ethylene oxide and sulfur dioxide, there are over 3.1 billion tons of hazardous materials transported via rail each year.

Much of the chlorine that is produced in the U.S. is transported from production facility to end user via railroads. This, combined with the fact that chlorine is a hazardous material, makes it imperative that it is handled and shipped safely via rail tank cars that have been specifically designed for chlorine transport.

Since crude oil is classified as a hazardous material, Midland has dedicated itself to designing, manufacturing and distributing world-class equipment and solutions for the safe handling and transport of crude oil. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the population and environment are protected from crude oil leaks and spills, tank overfills and fugitive vapor emissions.

While the nation’s railroad operators should be proud of this decade's rail safety improvements, this is no time for them to rest on their laurels. The reality is that the next product-release incident can lie just around the next bend in the track. There are three primary potential risks that railroad operators must be aware of every time a train laden with hazardous materials pulls away from the depot.

For too many emergency-service providers, wanting and actually acquiring an ERK are two entirely different things. Thankfully, a number of federal programs have been put into place to offer millions of dollars in available grant funding.

With the majority of industrial-use NH3 transported via pressurized railcar, it is imperative that the railroads and their employees take serious precautions when loading, unloading and transporting it. Recognizing the importance of preventing the release of NH3, Midland Manufacturing, Inc., has developed an Anhydrous Ammonia Fittings Package that can help guarantee its safe handling, transport and delivery.

With Ethylene Oxide being necessary in many industrial-manufacturing processes, it is imperative that it be securely contained to minimize leaks that can be harmful to people, surrounding communities or the environment. A large portion of the responsibility for the safe, leak-free handling, transport and delivery of Ethylene Oxide falls on the shoulders of the railroads that are a pivotal link in its supply chain.

Continuous improvement of products and services is the driving force at Midland. As the latest update to better serve customers, Midland is pleased to announce that upgrades in processes at the Skokie Midland Manufacturing site have allowed several models of our bottom outlet valves to be available for a quick-ship program with a 5-day turnaround.

Positive Train Control (PTC) is slated to create safety benefits for rail cars, stopping trains before accidents can occur. Though it is easy to understand the positives of such an asset, the undertaking to get the system up and running is quite complex.

Manways remain the leading cause of all NARs on tank-cars, having made up over 25% of tank-car NARs in 2017. In order to address the issue, the AAR Tank Car Committee, in collaboration with the FRA, has initiated a new docket.

Railcar leaks pose a real threat to both the environment and the bottom line of companies transporting materials by rail. With this in mind, Midland is heading out to railway sites across North America to conduct Emergency Preparedness Training for rail personnel and emergency responders.

Company representatives will deliver two expert presentations at The Chlorine Institute 2019 Annual Meeting, Technology Symposium & Expo, April 8-11 in Houston, TX. These sessions will focus on Handling and Repairing Rail Car Valves in Chlorine Service and the Application of HCL Pressure Relief Valves.

Midland, a global leader in railroad tank car safety valves and equipment, is pleased to announce the launch of its new website. Easy to navigate, mobile responsive and elegantly designed, the new website embodies Midland’s commitment to delivering what’s next for railroad tank car safety valves and equipment.

OPW introduced “what’s next” in fueling innovation at the Petroleum Equipment Institute (PEI) Convention at the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show last month in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Check out Petrol Plaza’s new interview with OPW President Kevin Long, explaining how we’re Defining What’s Next!

OPW enjoyed three robust days showcasing its latest fueling innovations at Europe’s most prestigious retail fueling exhibition, the 2018 UNITI Expo.

At the NACS/PEI Show we had the chance to speak to Kevin Long, President of OPW - one the of the leading forecourt equipment manufacturers in the industry. We discuss the company's 125th anniversary, the challenges facing the industry and the formation of Dover Fueling Solutions.