A new addition to Girard’s line of pressure relieving devices is the 407 Rail Vent. This design has already proven itself effective when it had to pass a series of tests and then a two year service trial starting in 2002. These tests were quite thorough in which every mile the valve was in use had to be documented and reported to the American Association of Railroads (AAR).
At the end of the trial period, each valve was inspected by the AAR and deemed acceptable to offer to the public for sale. Since that approval, Girard has produced thousands of these valves in a variety of pressure settings and inlet styles. Each valve is “guaranteed” to be free of any issues and to date no valve has ever been sent back for any normal service related issue.
One feature is the quick disassembly that allows seal replacement to take minutes with the use of simple hand tools. Each valve is principally constructed of 316 stainless steel which can handle most chemicals transported by rail. The design is equipped with a special Teflon Liner as well as Teflon spray coated componentry. The valve is especially popular for tank cars hauling corrosives. They come with standard flange styles already familiar to the rail tank market with customizable options available as well.