oil rail safety News

Report Says Key Changes Needed to Prevent Oil Rail Disasters

A scientific organization on Wednesday called for more frequent and better inspections of freight railroad tracks to prevent potentially catastrophic oil and ethanol train crashes. A report by the National Academies of Sciences also urged better training for emergency workers …

Study Says Dubuque County at Risk for Another Rail Oil Spill

A recent Iowa rail safety study says Dubuque County remains vulnerable to crude oil or biofuels spills more than a year after several railcars carrying ethanol derailed along the Mississippi River. The state’s Department of Transportation and Homeland Security and …

‘Urgent’ Recommendations Issued by NTSB to Boost Oil Train Safety

The National Transportation Safety Board on Monday called for the faster replacement of rail cars that carry flammable liquids like crude oil or ethanol, one of four urgent recommendations stemming from an investigation of recent derailments. The NTSB is seeking …

Canada to Create Special Fund to Pay for Crude Rail Spills

The Canadian government will create a special fund to pay for damages and cleanup in rail disasters, supported by levies on shipping crude oil, a person with direct knowledge of the plan said. Last week Transport Minister Lisa Raitt discussed …

Despite Safety Concerns Older Oil Train Cars May Be Rolling for Years

Oil tank cars like those that ruptured in a train derailment in rural West Virginia on Monday, sending a massive fireball into the sky and forcing evacuation of nearby homes, could be rolling through U.S. cities for years to come. …

Oil Shipment Scrutinized as Safety Measures Considered

The spike in crude oil shipments by rail in Washington is creating new potential risks and will require increased safety measures and improved oil spill response and prevention, according to a state study delivered to lawmakers. Even as more trains …

$25M in Insurance Payouts So Far in Lac-Megantic Oil Train Explosion

Backhoes and bulldozers are still digging out oil-seeped soil and pavement in the center of this lakeside Quebec town. Where the post office, public library and restaurants once stood, there is only the clanging of machinery kicking up dust over …

Delaware Lawmakers Focus on Oil Rail Shipment Safety

State lawmakers are working to ensure that increased rail shipments of oil to Delaware come with adequate safety and response measures. Members of the House Energy quizzed industry officials Wednesday on safety and inspections standards for tanker cars bringing oil …

North Dakota Oil Train Derailment Cleanup Almost Complete

Cleanup of an oil train derailment on the outskirts of a small southeastern North Dakota town “is all but complete,” a state health official said Wednesday. “We’ve identified a couple of small spots that still smell of oil, but cleanup …