BTS: Flammable Liquid Rail Cars Hits 76% in 2025


   
   SECAUCUS, NJ (DTN) -- The share of U.S. compliant rail tank cars for Class 3 
flammable liquids rose to 76% in 2025 from 73% in 2024, federal transportation 
data showed Wednesday (9/30).

   A total of 76,715 DOT-117 and DOT-117R tank cars moved flammable liquids 
last year, following May 1, 2025 phaseout deadlines for compliance, according 
to the data issued by Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).

   Almost all crude oil and ethanol shipments were moved in DOT-117 or 
retrofitted DOT-117R cars, including 8,758 carrying crude and 37,032 moving 
ethanol during 2025, the BTS noted.

   The May deadline prohibited jacketed CPC-1232 tank cars from carrying crude 
oil or ethanol, while banning older DOT-111 and CPC-1232 models from hauling 
packing group I liquids.

   The total fleet transporting Class 3 flammable liquids dipped 0.6% in 2025 
to 100,485 rail tank cars, compared to 2016 when DOT-117s made up just 8%.

   For 2026, survey projections indicate shops will build 2,137 new DOT-117 
cars and retrofit 663 DOT-117R units, adding 2,800 compliant tank cars to the 
fleet.

   All remaining non-DOT-117 tank cars moving packing group II and III 
flammable liquids face a final phaseout deadline of May 1, 2029 under FAST Act 
regulations, BTS added.




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