buffer car

A nonhazardous railroad freight car in a train, typically used to separate locomotives and their crews from freight cars carrying hazardous materials.

Noun

  1. A nonhazardous railroad freight car in a train, typically used to separate locomotives and their crews from freight cars carrying hazardous materials.
    • The buffer car not only puts extra space between the crew and the rest of the train, but it also keeps flammable materials away from a potential ignition source. - 2024, Cody Grivno, “How railroads identify buffer...
    • 2022, Laura Sullivan, Mark Raney, Emilio Paleo, Separation Distance of Hazardous Materials Cars and Train Crews and/or Locomotives - Literature Review (Buffer Car Research Study), United States Department of...

Forms

buffer cars

Derived

buffer