60,000 lbs of Ammonium Nitrate disappears

prfesser

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I'm sure somebody has already been tempted to look for the original source of the leak and take a match and light it (as they do in the cartoons) so it would go all the way down the railroad tracks to where it ended
As I understand it, setting off ANFO requires a hefty blasting cap. Ammonium nitrate alone would probably be even more difficult. IANA expert. :)
 

Bill S

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As I understand it, setting off ANFO requires a hefty blasting cap. Ammonium nitrate alone would probably be even more difficult. IANA expert. :)
Effectively what is an blasting cap is part of the airbag actuator mechanism in car airbags, so some enterprising terrorist shouldn't have much trouble scrounging up a few.
 

NateB

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As I understand it, setting off ANFO requires a hefty blasting cap. Ammonium nitrate alone would probably be even more difficult. IANA expert.

A small amount of flash powder will set off ANFO and AN-AL mixtures, but that probably isn't far off from a blasting cap.
 

teepot

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I buy 50 lbs of ammonium nitrate at a time for exploding rifle targets. The prills are smaller than a pea and a little larger than a BB. It used to be that I could go to Star nursery and buy 50 lb bags of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate fertilizer, but not any more. I only know of one source that still sells it. It won't light with a match even with the AL mixed in. Won't go off with a firecracker either. Takes a rifle bullet leaving the muzzle at about 2800 FPS to detonate it. Lots of fun. I've shot it with an AR and a 30.06. Because I buy it I'm sure I'm on somebodies watch list. Once saw 50lbs set of with a 50 call rifle. We were about 400 yards away. It was spectacular. Big mushroom cloud. Biggest I have shot was 20lbs. That will get your attention too. I believe they set off Anfo with dynamite. I remember watching a film of someone making ponds in swamps for waterfowl many many years ago. They took a large bag, probably 50 lbs, poured diesel fuel in and added a stick of dynamite. Big bada boom.
 

tsmith1315

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That's not Poke salad

It is down here. Poke Sallet, I think is the actual spelling, but everyone says salad. Grows in my yard.

Yes, it’s toxic if you don’t know how to prepare it. My FIL loved it, but his mother was the only one in their family that would fix it.

Not me, no thanks.
 

David Schwantz

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Ok, I will set your minds to rest. I haul 25 tons of this exact same stuff daily. It is called Urea. The pellets are BB size. they are loose. Could very easily have come out a hole in the trap. the seals do NOT seal the rail car door, hopper door, all they do is keep someone from opening the door. It could still bounce open. In fact I had one do so a few years back as my flipper had worn out and allowed the door to open a bit.


You can see it in the pic as this one is also worn.

Also, Urea is NOT an explosive. It does not need hazmat to ship it. It must be mixed and become a paste and even then you need a 1/4 stick of dynamite to set it off. Watched my Dad and Uncle do it on the farm blowing stumps.
 

Peartree

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Likely won't make a noticeable difference along the tracks since railroads normally spray herbicides along the mainline every year or two as a part of normal maintenance.
 

cwbullet

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Likely won't make a noticeable difference along the tracks since railroads normally spray herbicides along the mainline every year or two as a part of normal maintenance.

Yes, and the stuff the railroad uses will kill the ultimate weed: Multiforal Rose Bushes.
 
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Ok, I will set your minds to rest. I haul 25 tons of this exact same stuff daily. It is called Urea. The pellets are BB size. they are loose. Could very easily have come out a hole in the trap. the seals do NOT seal the rail car door, hopper door, all they do is keep someone from opening the door. It could still bounce open. In fact I had one do so a few years back as my flipper had worn out and allowed the door to open a bit.


You can see it in the pic as this one is also worn.

Also, Urea is NOT an explosive. It does not need hazmat to ship it. It must be mixed and become a paste and even then you need a 1/4 stick of dynamite to set it off. Watched my Dad and Uncle do it on the farm blowing stumps.
Now we know the "Rest of the Story"
 
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