Oil Train Safety Megathread. Updated July 30, 2023

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Sun Jul 30, 2023, 12:26 PM - Edit history (94)

I'll be storing links to news articles, industry developments, regulatory agencies, and so forth here. Also look for threads or replies at DU with these titles.

Full disclosure: I own shares of rail stocks. I am posting solely to help people find information and not out of any financial interest.

Previous updates: October 18, 2021; April 30, 2021; February 25, 2021; March 24, 2020; August 14, 2019; April 9, 2019; March 26, 2019; February 15, 2019; September 24, 2018; November 11, 2017; July 5, 2017.

BNSF, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Warren Buffett, NS, Norfolk Southern, CSX, CN, Canadian National, CP, Canadian Pacific, Bakken, Shale, derail, derailed, derailment, DOT-111, CPC-1232, tank car, tankcar, railroad, train, FRA, Federal Railroad Administration, Transport Canada, Minister of Transport, NTSB, National Transportation Safety Board, PHMSA, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Department of Transportation, DOT, oil by rail, crude by rail, CBR, oil train safety, Ted Mann, megathread, electronically controlled pneumatic brakes, ECP, National Energy Board, NEB.

Google News for "rail safety"

Google News for "railroad safety"

[font color="red"]Added, 02-11-2016:[/font] I'd prefer not to link to a partisan website, but this one does link to more articles in newspapers and trade journals than I can keep up with:

The DOT-111 Reader, Rail News

-- -- -- -- -- --

WAMU = WAMU radio, at American University, Washington, DC
G&M = (Toronto) Globe and Mail
TWSJ. or WSJ. = The Wall Street Journal.
NYT = New York Times
PR = Progressive Railroading
VC = Vancouver, Washington, Columbian
RA = Railway Age
TO = Trainorders
ColDisp = Colmubus, Ohio, Dispatch
NJ = New Jersey.com
DU = Democratic Underground
Vox = Vox Media
WaPo = Washington Post
DOE = Department of Energy
Inforum = Fargo ND - Moorhead MN Forum

APNewsBreak: Railroad in fiery derailment agrees to changes, DU, December 23, 2016

APNewsBreak: Railroad in fiery derailment agrees to changes, Associated Press via Seattle Times, December 23, 2016

Railroad involved in fiery Columbia River Gorge derailment agrees to changes, Billings Gazette, December 23, 2016

Tank Car Maker Controlled by Carl Icahn Suing Railroad Regulators, DU, December 23, 2016

Tank Car Maker Controlled by Carl Icahn Suing Railroad Regulators, TWSJ., December 22, 2016

New Directive Targets Crude-by-Rail Safety, FRA press release, September 29, 2016

2 ND rail inspectors receive certification from the Federal Railroad Administration, KFYR-TV, Bismarck, ND, September 21, 2016

Crude-by-rail volumes to the East Coast are declining, DU, August 4, 2016

Crude-by-rail volumes to the East Coast are declining, Energy Information Administration (EIA), August 3, 2016

Oil-by-rail safety concerns likely to reignite after Oregon derailment, Reuters, via Inforum, June 6, 2016

Oil train derails, catches fire near Hood River, VC, June 3, 2016

Oil train derails near Mosier in Columbia River Gorge, DU, June 3, 2016

Oil train derails near Mosier in Columbia River Gorge, Oregonian, June 3, 2016

NTSB report: Broken rail likely caused 2014 Lynchburg train derailment, Lynchburg {Virginia} News & Advance, March 2, 2016

Washington {state} transportation commission adopts CBR safety rules, PR, February 11, 2016

Maine rail cargo secrecy law bypassed public access, safety defenses, DU, February 10, 2016

Maine rail cargo secrecy law bypassed public access, safety defenses, Bangor Daily News, February 10, 2016

Crude by rail down, but officials still bracing for danger on tracks, Lynchburg {Virginia} News & Advance, January 12, 2016

Still no final report 2 years after fiery Casselton oil crash, Grand Forks {North Dakota} Herald, December 29, 2015

First responders often unprepared for derailments, Columbus {Ohio} Dispatch, December 22, 2015

Oil trains raise alarm for Denver residents in growing neighborhoods, Denver Post, December 2, 2015 (print edition. Posted online December 1, 2015)

Oil train safety concerns cast shadow over cross-border rail deal, Kansas City Star, November 30, 2015. By Curtis Tate, [e-mail]

Rail safety fight rolls into election politics, DU, November 24, 2015

Rail safety fight rolls into election politics, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, November 23, 2015. This is not about rail safety per se, but how elected and regulatory officials in MN are approaching the subject.

Oil trains pose risks to aging bridges, report finds, Albany Times-Union, November 10, 2015

Report questions safety of rusting, crumbling railroad bridges, WaPo, November 10, 2015

DEADLY CROSSING: Neglected Bridges & Exploding Oil Trains, report released by Waterkeeper Alliance, ForestEthics, Riverkeeper and a national network of Waterkeeper organizations, November 10, 2015

Buffett's BNSF helped lead fight to delay train safety technology, DU, November 4, 2015

Buffett's BNSF helped lead fight to delay train safety technology, Reuters, November 4, 2015

Audit finds railroad safety lacking during high oil traffic, DU, October 30, 2015

Audit finds railroad safety lacking during high oil traffic, Helena Independent Record and Associated Press, October 29, 2015

Officials: Broken rail missed on 2 inspections caused fiery West Va. train derailment, DU, October 9, 2015

Officials: Broken rail missed on 2 inspections caused fiery West Va. train derailment, Associated Press via Richmond Times-Dispatch, October 9, 2015

Feds say broken rail caused Fayette County train derailment, West Virginia Gazette-Mail, October 9, 2015

Sandia Releases Survey of Crude Oil Properties Relevant to Handling and Fire Safety in Transport, DU, March 31, 2015

Sandia National Laboratories Releases Literature Survey of Crude Oil Properties Relevant to Handling and Fire Safety in Transport, DOE, March 24, 2015

Literature Survey of Crude Oil Properties Relevant to Handling and Fire Safety in Transport (website), Sandia National Laboratories, March 24, 2015

Literature Survey of Crude Oil Properties Relevant to Handling and Fire Safety in Transport (download), Sandia National Laboratories, March 24, 2015

19 U.S. senators call for more federal money for oil-by-rail safety measures, DU, March 25, 2015

19 U.S. senators call for more federal money for oil-by-rail safety measures, Lynchburg, VA, News & Advance, March 24, 2015

Union Pacific request to haul liquefied natural gas draws criticism, DU, March 19, 2015. Granted, it's LNG and not crude oil, but it's hazardous material in tankcars.

Union Pacific request to haul liquefied natural gas draws criticism, Omaha World-Herald, March 19, 2015

After a spate of train wrecks, Congress takes a new view of federal rail agency, DU, March 15, 2015

After a spate of train wrecks, Congress takes a new view of federal rail agency, WaPo, March 16, 2015 (this went online Sunday afternoon, March 15, but it was in Monday's paper)

Explosive concern: Trains carry oil across the Valley, WKBN, March 12, 2015. Hat tip, TO, March 12, 2015:

Oil Train Preparedness Story in Youngstown News

Dangerous Trains, Aging Rails, DU, March 12, 2015

Dangerous Trains, Aging Rails, Opinion piece submitted by a contributor to the NYT, March 12, 2015

Canada to Propose Tougher Oil Tank Car Standards, DU, March 12, 2015

Canada to Propose Tougher Oil Tank Car Standards, NYT, March 11, 2015

Another Train Derailment Raises New Concerns About The Safety Of Transporting Crude Oil, DU, March 11, 2015

Another Train Derailment Raises New Concerns About The Safety Of Transporting Crude Oil, WAMU, March 9, 2015

BNSF oil train derailment pictures, DU, March 10, 2015

BNSF oil train derailment pictures, TO, March 10, 2015

Ontario calls on feds to ramp up rail safety after recent derailments, Sudbury Star (Ontario), March 9, 2015

Train derails in Northern Ontario, heightening safety fears, DU, March 9, 2015

Train derails in Northern Ontario, heightening safety fears, G&M, March 8 and 9, 2015

CN says crude oil train derailed in Ontario, fire reported, Sudbury Star (Ontario), via Reuters, March 7, 2015

Wrecks Hit Tougher Oil Railcars, DU, March 9, 2015

CPC-1232s, oil tankers rupture in recent wrecks, TO, March 9, 2015

Wrecks Hit Tougher Oil Railcars, WSJ., March 8, 2015

A Third Blast on Oil Trains Stirs Scrutiny, DU, March 8, 2015

A Third Blast on Oil Trains Stirs Scrutiny, NYT, March 6, 2015

White House deferred to N. Dakota on oil train safety, DU, March 6, 2015

White House deferred to N. Dakota on oil train safety, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 6, 2015

West Virginia Derailment Raises Concerns About Volatility Of Bakken Oil, National Public Radio, March 4, 2015

New bills seek to strengthen crude-by-rail safety, extend short-line tax credit, DU, March 4, 2015

New bills seek to strengthen crude-by-rail safety, extend short-line tax credit, PR, March 4, 2015

Vancouver, Washington, extends moratorium on crude oil facilities, DU, March 3,2015

Vancouver extends moratorium on crude oil facilities, VC, March 2,2015

Oil train mishaps reveal tank car strengths and limitations, DU, February 27, 2015

Oil train mishaps reveal tank car strengths and limitations, RA, February 16, 2015

New Canadian legislation aims to bolster rail safety, strengthen oversight, DU, February 23, 2015

New Canadian legislation aims to bolster rail safety, strengthen oversight, PR, February 23, 2015

CSX oil train derailment, Trains magazine discussion about the derailment in West Virginia, started February 16, 2015

Oil trains quietly rerouted after W.Va. derailment, DU, February 23, 2015

Detoured CSX Oil Train (NS 071), TO, February 17, 2015

CSX reroutes to follow old Virginian Line, TO, February 22, 2015

Oil trains quietly rerouted after W.Va. derailment, ColDisp, February 21, 2015

W. Va. oil train explosion has N.J. raising concerns over rail safety, DU, February 19, 2015

CSX oil train derailment in West Virginia on February 16, 2015, DU, February 19, 2015. Consists of links to other articles.

New Jersey article on oil trains, TO, February 19, 2015

W. Va. oil train explosion has N.J. raising concerns over rail safety, NJ, February 19, 2015

Another oil train explodes in West Virginia. Here's why this keeps happening., Vox, February 17, 2015

DeFazio requests USDOT action on tank-car safety, DU, January 26, 2015

DeFazio requests USDOT action on tank-car safety; Kind and Baldwin seek environmental review of BNSF track project, PR, January 26, 2015

Oil Trains Hide in Plain Sight, DU, January 20, 2015

Oil Trains Hide in Plain Sight, WSJ., December 3, 2014

Federal Railroad Administration Issues Final Rule to Improve Rail Flaw Detection, Bloomberg BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter, January 24, 2014