Im a new member here and i have a question or two for the more experienced members here.

I am a student at a small residential college that has an active railroad through the middle of campus, my dorm building and truck are on the opposite side of the tracks from my classes. There are very few liquid containers on the trains that go by and no passenger cars, it is only freight. If the train stops on the tracks the only way to cross is a small overpass at the far corner of campus. I ride a mountain bike most everywhere on campus so the mile long detour isnt too much of a hassle for me but it worries me when i think of the train derailing.
What would you suggest as an EDC kit?
Im never more than a mile or so from my vehicle or dorm room so i would only focus on getting to one of those two places.
Also if a train were to derail at say 60mph how far off the tracks could the cars end up? My dorm building is maybe 200 feet away from the tracks.
Thanks for the advice

Depending upon the terrain, how a particular car leaves the tracks and several other factors you could have one parked in the first floor. Probably not real likely but it is possible.

The big problem is a chem spill. Even worse is gaseous. Regardless your dorm and truck could easily be in the contamination zone. You need to base your plans upon the fact you might not be able to get there. Even an accident without any contamination might be cordoned off by the atthorities for an indefinate amout of time. You might have to detour much farther than you think.

Plan for an alternate location on your side of the tracks. Or possibly a cashe of supplies.

For EDC figure it should be pretty much a standard affair. Maybe toss a few snacks and drinks plus somethink to pass time.

Check school regs, campus security, and local law enforcement about what things are on the no-no list. Recent events have increased the official pucker factor to almost TSA proportions in some places.

Sharps are always questioned, be sure you know what is a legal carry.. Chemical anything, even handwarmers, ditto.

My brother was a deputy sheriff, a leutenant for a major university police force, and is now chief of a smaller school district police force. He and I research knife laws from time to time. There are state, school, airline, and local knife rules - and none of them are the same. You have to go with the common denominator, the sharp that meets all the criteria for you EDC to pass muster.

And if you have to go into high security areas, or courtrooms, etc. ther are almost certainly other set of rules.

Homework never ends.

Your railroad situation confronts you with the possibility of dividing your world in two with a physical, chemical, or other barrier.

So, you need duplicate gear - one set on each side of the probable divide, and also a retreat from the railroad area on each side. My suggestion: make friends on each side and agree to take each other in if the worst happens, be a regular at at least one business establishment on each side that might be able to help you, and find out the evacuation plans which let you check out shelters on each side in case of the worst. If you can afford it - and I sure couldn't when I was a student - stash a cache on each side.

Good luck!

Obviously you can keep kits with lots of gear in both your truck and dorm on one side of the tracks, the Q is what to EDC on the other side while you are attending classes. The only thing I'd be concerned with is immediate, how to egress. Things that come to mind are face masks, eye protection (dust), leather gloves, appropriate footwear.

Where do you store your bike while in class? Do you have a bike tool kit?

My opinions about EDC on campus are probably not altogether aligned with the mainstream of thinking, but then again I don't put my faith in the ability of any security group to protect me or mine from attacks or catastrophies beyond a very limited and mostly ineffective point. My recommendations are to keep on you what you think you will need to effect your escape from a potentially hostile or lethal enivronment, within reason, and to be wholly inconspicuous about what you carry. That said, there are a number of assumptions that can be made about the situation you are likely to find yourself. For the most part, you are not likely to need to evacuate the campus altogether, and wherever you end up, it is likely you will have food and a place to sleep, such is the nature of communal living. Orienteering and firemaking are not high priorities. A means of contact with the outside world might be a good idea (eg cell phone) so that loved ones can be assured you are okay, or so that in the event you are the first on the scene you can call in aid. You have a bike, which makes you mobile enough.

All that is left then, for the most part, are really comfort and security items.

If you can get from your class to your dorm without too long of a detour, even in the event of a derailment, then egress from the scene is possibly the biggest issue. I know you mentioned there not being much liquid, but on tank of something bad is enough to be a big problem. In addition, plenty of solids can burn and put out some nasty gases. Something like this may be a good idea: http://www.botachtactical.com/tebrofli.html.

When assessing survival, think about how long you can live without something, and consider the rules of three. You can live for: three minutes without air; three hours without shelter (depending on your environment, in a blizzard for example you may not have much time), include clothes in shelter; three days without water; and three weeks without food. Also, if you can, have three soures for everything you will count on. One can be the normal source, one can be something you create from the environment, one should have some preparation. So, water that comes from the tap is one source, a bottle in your closet in another, a third may be a method of treating water. the right ones for you are the ones that can work in your area.

Welcome Newguy!

As has already been said, you probably won't need anything other than some comfort items. Being on a college campus, you probably won't have to worry about food or a place to lay your head for long.

As for the train thing, my only experience with one of those is from the news on TV. From all the overheads they show, it doesn't look like the cars make it 200ft from the tracks. But, trains carry everything, and the potential for a hazmat incident is huge. Other than a paper type mask, in one of those 'bout all you can do is boogie away on your bike asap...

The best think is not carried on person, but in somebody's brains. Most importent thing is to take cover when your too close and in the way. In the event of chemicals spills, check the direction of the wind. Do NOT stay in the downwind area. Equipment are just tools, they can be of great help, but knowing what to do is better.

Getting to know the risks will also help you in preparing for such an event. Is the track straight? is it a single or double track? What kind of chemicals are carried? Do you know how to read the UN and GEVI numbers on the hazardous materials signs? etc.

The track is a straight single track the only curve is about 3/4 to a mile down the tracks. It is at a lower elevation than the rest of campus.
My campus security consists of a 4 member force, none of which would be of much help other than to call the state police, campus is half a mile away from interstate 81 near the VA/Tenn border.
My dorm and truck are slightly uphill from the tacks.
I do have a small tool kit for my bike that stays with the bike at all times, it hold a tire repair kit, air pump, Leatherman kick, and a multi-tool built just for bikes.

I do not know how to read the hazardous material signs, but i would like to learn how, that could be highly important.

My EDC right now is my wallet, camera-phone, pocketknife ( fixed or folder under 3inch blade length) and everything on the bike. My backpack always has a nalgene bottle and some small snacks in it.

PC2K is right about what's in your brain being the msot important.

If you do want to read stuff on hazmat placards, take a look at: http://environmentalchemistry.com/yogi/hazmat/placards/

The colors are the most basic thing for which to look. Next you'd probably look at the numbers of the classes, 2.1 flammable gases for example. Finally, there should be another number that identifies the specific substance. If you saw and number and looked here, below the sport where it says "2004 ERG sorted by UN Number," you might be able to identify something specific:

http://environmentalchemistry.com/yogi/hazmat/erg/ s for

Welcome to the fire newguy. I would definatly add a small NOAA hazards alert radio with S.A.M.E. technology. This will alert you if something does occur. Walmart has pocket-sized ones for about $40.

How far away are you from secondary sanctuaraies such as your parent's, relatives, friends, or friend's homes? Do you have good maps of the areas and directions to reach these places?

As for identifying what hazardous materials the trains are carrying, go here. You can order an emergency response book which lists the chemical every hazmat placard ID number refers to as well as software for your pc or pda which gives you the same information. I keep a copy of this book in my glove compartment.

-Blast

You might also think about a decent little FAK in your backpack. Mostly OTC meds like Ibuprofren or some such, but maybe also a good compress type bandage or so, for when you take those really nasty spills on the bike.

I attended LIU Southampton College....we had a R x R track on the North side of the campus...ours was commuter. I don't remember ever seeing cargo or tankers.

Check with the local EMS/FD.... I had joined the local volunteer ambulance company and I learned a lot. A good company should have 'pre-plans' for just such a contigency.....You should be able to find out something......but don't be surprised to find that they are a little leary of 'people' who come in asking questions specific to what is carried on the rails or of the emergency procedures if TSHTF.....the info can be used by bad guys too, so they will probably be a little skittish.

Maybe you could start a 'pre-plan' with them and the college?!? It would allow you to help the school and get 'with the in crowd' and show them you are not 'just curious'.....good luck.

Being a college student you probably have a very real investment in your school work. If you're going to evac on a bike it might be a bit hard to carry a desktop computer or even a lap top. You might want to make a back-up of any important data to a flash drive or even a USB HDD if the amount warrants it.
Even non-school related documents should be backed up (if you were at home it would be good idea to make a scan of things like birth certificate, etc). A flash drive you could even EDC and wouldn't have to make it back to your dorm in an emergency.

In addition to what has been said above, I would suggest carrying a small amount of cash, maybe $20 or $30 or so that you never use, unless it's an emergency. While things can always get REALLY bad, I would imagine that in most situations like those you mentioned, you might be kept from your dorm for a day or so, and there would be a lot of other students in the same boat. I think it would be nice to grab a bite at a fast food joint, or knock a beer back with a few friends. I know a lot of students who have almost all their food money on a school account so they can buy meals at the school's cafeterias, but if something happens, those might not be availible. Just my $0.02.

I would also second Nishnabotna's comment about backing up school work and such on a flash drive. Could really save your bacon.

there are two problems with trying to have a location for supplies on both sides of campus, I can afford it.
Also the nearest store is 4 miles away and that is only a small gas station.
The college doesnt have a plan for such an event and that is why i have come here to seek advice.
The FAK is a great idea, will add a small one to my bike.
My wallet has credit cards from my parents for use in emergencies and at least $50 cash (folded up behind my drivers license so that i forget about it)
All my important documents are all at home in a fire-resistant document safe, i have a portable hard drive that i back up all photos, music, and school work weekly. The issue is that it's a little too large to carry everyday so i've started moving most of it to the colleges' off-site servers.
I live 300 miles from school and none of my friends live within 50 miles of campus so my best bet would be to get on the bike and head south towards bristol, that being the closest city of decent size, even if it would be a 20mile ride.

I too am a college student. The school also has a TT running on the north and southern ends of the campus. The city surrounding the school is a small white town full of elderly. The school's population (25,000) practically makes half of the small town's population!

I also have a mountain bike...well, had. I kinda roughed it up too far and now the main bearings are broken...work on that later. But, due to my bike I was able to travel all over the city. Knowing where certain sections of the city with less attention centered, will help you find peace in times of chaos.

There is a great mountain pass just south of campus that hikers/bikers usually frequent, a bike park under an underpass to the southeast corner on the river, a boat ramp on the northeast, the nearest city is about 10 miles away - only means of travel are crowded highways, large cities half an hour from north/southern directions.

Think of all these options before-hand, have a list made to position locations (NEARBY) and conceal them to your most closest friends/family member.

If something real dangerous were to happen. I would gather up a bunch of friends and go to the beach! But seriously, if something were to go down. I'm heading towards the river, then upstream for some good o' trout fly fishing carrying my phone + charger, of course.

-Fishmode

I think you'll find that most of the people posting here all walk around with certain items, all the time as a matter of habit. Most will also have one or more kits prepared and ready to go, at home, in the car, etc. Most kits are probably tailored to what they expect that they might encounter, often in a worse case scenario, to the resources they will expect to be able to draw on, and to what they can carry. Look at some of the commercial kits or kits that others have posted about, and read what people say about them.

I like to back things up on DVDs and store the information elsewhere. For example, make a DVD and send it home from school.

My most basic first aid items are rolls of athletic tape, gauze and something that is a topical antibiotic.

Fishmode, that bike should be fairly easy to fix. Bikes are simple machines, except for maybe the modern shifters. You refer to the main bearings, not sure what that means. Is it the bottom bracket through which the spindle for the pedals turn or the ball bearings inside the hubs of a wheel?

Interesting point about what goes through "regularly" on the train. You might also what to keep an eye out for what goes through irregularly. As an example I used to live in a University town in the middle of the UK that had a main major road run between our dorms and the main campus. Usually nothing very interesting on the road, then ever once in a while a ordinary looking box truck would go past, the giveaway it was worthy of closer inspection were the three police vehicle escort it always had.

One day I was waiting to cross the road when it went past and I noticed the discrete radioactive signs on the side and back. As far as I could ascertain from talking to a few people who should know, it was carrying "medium level" waste on its way to a facility around 200ml to the North East. Apparently it broke its journey at the regional police headquarters, which was only 0.5ml up the road from our dorms!

Trains can be a little tricky when it comes to identifying the contents of the various cars. They don't have placards like trucks on the highways to, you have to contact the engineer or conductor to get the consist (what the RR guys call the paperwork for the entire train) to learn if they have any metholethalbadstuff on board...

My cousin in an Engineer for BNSF and before he takes a train he gets a notebook with the contents of each car on the train. Except for the government cars, they don't tell you what they are carrying.

He also has a notebook filled with all the instruction for what to do if a car filled with _____ wrecks until the "authorities" can get there.

You should probably include a FAK in your backpack as well as the one on your bike. You or a fellow student may need assistance when you are not near your bike.

A small repair kit could also be a worthwhile addition to your gear carried in your pack. You never know when you may need to sew on a button or duct tape the sole of your shoe back on so you can at least walk back to your bike.

I know it may be hard, but the primary addition to your kit that I would make is a $50 or $100 that you never touch and a credit card with at least enough to check into a motel. Although self sufficiency is important, in these types of problems the major difficulity is to spend a comfortable day or two away from your regular stuff in an almost normal world. In most localized disasters (even Katrina) you get away and find a comfortable place to spend a day or two. In my car are two kits, one for living without support and the other (and MUCH more frequently used) is a small overnight bag with clean cothes and the other things I would take on a short trip. I have used it in blizzards, floods, and local blockages (a RR accident). The other just makes me feel better prepared if something worse should happen.

Respectfully,

Jerry