Page 171 - Challenges in Corrosion Costs Causes Consequences and Control(2015)

RAILROADS 149

A typical airport infrastructure is relatively complex, and the components that
might be subject to corrosion are the following:

1. Natural gas distribution systems
2. Jet fuel storage and distribution systems
3. Deicing storage and distribution systems
4. Water distribution systems
5. Vehicle fueling systems
6. Natural gas feeders
7. Dry fire lines
8. Parking garages
9. Runways and runway lighting

Each of these infrastructure components is owned and operated by different orga-
nizations and companies. Airports do not have any specific corrosion-related prob-
lems that cannot be found in other sectors of the national economy. For example,
corrosion of heat, ventilation, and air conditioning systems; corrosion of reinforced
concrete floor in a parking garage; corrosion of buried metallic structures. Corrosion
of buried metallic structures consists of USTs or buried fuel lines transporting fuel
from the tank farms. Larger airports generate considerable volumes of wastewater
during the deicing season and may have wastewater treatment facilities, which do not
belong to the airports.
The problem with USTs is of concern as the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) regulation mandates installation of corrosion protection on existing
regulated USTs.

3.12 RAILROADS

America’s first common-carrier-railroad, the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O), was char-
tered in Maryland on February 28, 1827. Some data on the basic facts of North
American railroads (1999) are shown in Table 3.1.
Published information on corrosion-related issues in this industry is scarce. The
elements of construction subject to corrosion are metallic objects such as rail, steel
spikes for wooden ties. An area where corrosion has been reported is electrified rail

TABLE 3.1 North American Railroads (1999)
Number of railroads 561
Kilometers operated 274,399
Miles operated 170,508
Number of employees 200,906
Freight revenue $35,295 × 10 6