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.

Oil train from North Dakota derails and leaks crude oil in Montana 

As of Friday morning, three train cars were leaking crude oil in northeast Montana and nearby residents have been evacuated, according to The Minneapolis Star Tribune. No injuries have been reported.

Canadian authorities scrutinize how oil trains affect tracks

Some experts say long-unit trains with more than 100 cars hauling crude oil may be putting unusual stress on tracks, which could lead to derailments, according to Reuters.

 

Reach Natasha Khan at 412-315-0261 or nkhan@publicsource.org. Follow her on Twitter @khantasha.

This story was made possible by donations to our independent, nonprofit newsroom.

Can you help us keep going with a gift?

We’re Pittsburgh’s Public Source. Since 2011, we’ve taken pride in serving our community by delivering accurate, timely, and impactful journalism — without paywalls. We believe that everyone deserves access to information about local decisions and events that affect them.

But it takes a lot of resources to produce this reporting, from compensating our staff, to the technology that brings it to you, to fact-checking every line, and much more. Reader support is crucial to our ability to keep doing this work.

If you learned something new from this story, consider supporting us with a donation today. Your donation helps ensure that everyone in Allegheny County can stay informed about issues that impact their lives. Thank you for your support!

Natasha is director of audience & visuals strategy at Pittsburgh's Public Source. She runs the organization's audience and visual team. She manages social media, the website, brand strategy and works...