There are several old rail tank cars around here at farms and businesses set up on stands being used as fuel tanks. They look like they're from the 40's.
At my old employer, they were directional boring in some new internet lines down an alley. The owner told the boring company that there were rumors that an old car lot that used to occupy the lot next to us had buried a rail tank car under the alley to use as a fuel tank for the auto store. Sure enough, the boring machine hit something. They started poking around the grass next to the alley and found a lid. Dug it up, and there sits a railroad tank car 2' underground.
They hired Safety Clean to pump out the car. It only had a few inches of stuff in it. Then they cleaned it. Then an environmental company drilled three holes in the bottom. One in the middle and one at each end. They did soil testing through the holes. Surprisingly, no ground contamination.
Next, they brought in a cement truck with a very wet mixture, and started filling it. Then another truck, and another. I left after the 3rd truck was empty. Don't know how many it took.
Finally, they buried the top, and ran the wires around it.
I can only imagine some day if someone decides to tear down that building and dig up the alley how they'll deal with that surprise.
