Derailment after derailment. They just keep happening.
Since early February, there have been at least six train derailments in North America carrying crude from North Dakota’s Bakken Shale. These accidents have sparked increased calls from citizens, the rail industry and lawmakers for the federal government to increase safety regulations.
To keep up with these incidents and new safety regulations, PublicSource provides a roundup of stories every Friday.
Railroad defends its safety practices after Wolf sends scolding letter
In a letter to Gov. Tom Wolf, Norfolk Southern said its safety measures exceed federal standards. The railroad wrote it in response to Wolf’s accusations that the company wasn’t doing enough to prevent crude oil trains from derailing in Pennsylvania, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Trains probably won’t get “smarter” this year
A bill introduced in Congress in March seeks to extend a deadline on a rule that requires the nation’s freight lines to implement positive train control by the end of 2015. PTC uses wireless signals to enforce speed limits and can control trains headed for crashes, but the railroad industry says the 2015 deadline is unrealistic, according to Fortune.
New York steps up its rail safety game
The Journal News reports New York state will help 21 counties better prepare for derailments and “worst-case scenarios” involving crude oil trains.
*Interested in learning more about the risks of crude oil trains in Pennsylvania? Join us at 6:30 p.m. on June 17 for a panel discussion we’re hosting in Pittsburgh at Carnegie Mellon University. There will be refreshments and snacks! Sign up and learn more here.
Reach Natasha Khan at 412-315-0261 or nkhan@publicsource.org. Follow her on Twitter @khantasha.
