Train PollutionBy: Andrea Lamoureux, and Autumn Fisher

Whitefish High School, Mr. Spangler's 7th period Advanced Chemistry Class

Has the concern of increase in train activity in Whitefish, Montana affected the amount of PM 2.5 in the air? If so is it also affecting other towns with railroads passing through?

Question:

If there is train activity, then the air quality of Whitefish will be affected by the pollution caused by train activity.

Hypothesis

• There is a concern about the increase of train activity affecting air quality.

• Train activity has increased due to the oil shipments from North Dakota.

• Train activity may increase significantly more if coal mines in Eastern Montana go in.

Background:

• Noise pollution from train horns• Pollution from idling trains• Health effects on town residents

What is the Concern?

We tested at three different sites. One was at the school which was the control, the other was at a concerned community member's house, named Bill Jones, and the third was at Mrs. Haverlandt's house.

We tested twice at Haverlandt's, and three times at Mr. Jones' house. All 6 tests used the High School as a control.

Procedure:

We ran two meters at the same time for 24 hours starting at 10pm. One was always at the high school while the other was either at Bill's or Mrs. Haverlandt's.

We kept a chart of what the weather was like on the dates that we tested, to see if weather had an effect on the results.

Procedure:

High School, about 0.3 miles from railroad tracks

Mrs. Haverlanst's HouseRailroad Tracks

High School Location:Mr. Spangler's Room with tube out the window

Meter

About 25 yards away from tracks.

Bill's House:

Weather-High: 53 ( F)

Low:30

Precip: 0inWind: lowOvercast

Data:Test 1 10/08/2012

Results:Bill's House:• Average: .007 mg/m^3• Max: 043 mg/m^3

High School:• Average: .008 mg/m^3• Max: .063 mg/m^3

Test 1: Graphs

Weather-High: 53 ( F)Low:37Precip: .35 inLow wind

Data:Test 2 10/29/2012

Results:Bill's House:• Average: .008

mg/m^3• Max: .037 mg/m^3

High School:• Average: .022

mg/m^3• Max: .159

mg/m^3

Test 2:Graphs:

Weather-High: 42 ( F)Low: 26Precip: 0Low wind

Data:Test 3 11/16/2012

Results:Bill Jones House:• Average: .031

mg/m^3• Max: .092 mg/m^3High School• Average: .042

mg/m^3• Max: .108 mg/m^3

Graph:Test 3

Weather-High: 44 ( F)Low: 32Precip: 0Medium wind

Data:Test 4 12/03/2012

Results:Haverlandt's:• Average: .020

mg/m^3• Max: .165 mg/m^3High School• Average: .028

mg/m^3• Max: .128 mg/m^3

Test 4:Graphs:

Weather-High: 43 ( F)Low: 33Precip: 0.05Low Wind

Data:Test 5 1/9/13

Haverlandt's:• Average: 0.006

mg/m^3• Max: 0.111

mg/m^3High School• Average: 0.011

mg/m^3• Max: 0.185

mg/m^3

Test 5:Graphs

Weather:High: 62 ( F)Low: 21Precip: 0SunnyLow Wind

Data:Test 6 4/24/2013

Bill Jones House:• Average: 0.010 mg/m^3• Max: 0.081 mg/m^3High School Library• Average: 0.007 mg/m^3• Max: 0.022 mg/m^3

Test 6Graphs:

30 minute test

Train Depot

Amtrak train idling

BNSF train idling

• From the data collected, we concluded that no solid conclusion could be made.

• From our results, we saw that something was impacting the air quality making it rise above the EPA limit for pm 2.5. However, it is too difficult to actually pinpoint what exactly impacted the air quality.

• We could not conclude that the spikes over the EPA limit were due to train activity because we did not have a train schedule to compare the times with.

Conclusions:

• Bill Jones, concerned citizen• Tony Ward, University of Montana• Hoby Rash, Montana Department of

Environmental Quality• Mr. Spangler, Whitefish High School• Chehala Hemmingson, Chemistry

student

Acknowledgements

References

"Do Coal and Diesel Trains Make for Unhealthy Air?" Microryza. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 May 2013.

"NCDC: Quality Controlled Local Climatological Data, Select State." NCDC: Quality Controlled Local Climatological Data, Select State. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 May 2013.

"The News Tribune." - UPS Professor Taking Measure of Tacoma Train Emissions (print). N.p., n.d. Web. 28 May 2013.

"Tacoma Study." Site. University of Puget Sound, n.d. Web. 28 May 2013.