N.J. mayors on board for safer train shipments

[OCtrainguy]

http://www.c-n.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl ... /-1/NEWS06

This was in yesterday's Courier News. The UPN 9 news also ran a story on this Sunday night. They were focusing on people who live adjacent to the Chemical Coast Line (ex-CNJ) in Elizabeth. What was really funny is that they were talking about the "dangerous materials" carried by rail and the train they showed in their video clips was NS 214.

The UPN 9 story said the recent concern was related to a Union Pacific derailment in Texas in which a tanker car derailed and was apparently punctured.

[JLo]

Of course, in many cases, the dangerous materials are manufactured in their towns.

[henry6]

Did the reporter know about railroading...that the Chemical Coast is a low speed industrial track and is basically flat unlike UP's 90 mph main line or with a steep gradients like Tehachapi or Cajun or Feather River? That there are no passenger trains on the Chemical Coast track like on the NJT Corridor? That a plane could miss Newark airport or a truck or two fly off the Turnpike into a Chemical Coast yard track as easily if not more easily than too hard a cupling? Or was it just another railroad bashing, fear spouting piece to get a rise in ratings equal to a rebelious rise in the unknowing public?

[OCtrainguy]

Did the reporter know about railroading...that the Chemical Coast is a low speed industrial track and is basically flat unlike UP's 90 mph main line or with a steep gradients like Tehachapi or Cajun or Feather River? That there are no passenger trains on the Chemical Coast track like on the NJT Corridor? That a plane could miss Newark airport or a truck or two fly off the Turnpike into a Chemical Coast yard track as easily if not more easily than too hard a cupling? Or was it just another railroad bashing, fear spouting piece to get a rise in ratings equal to a rebelious rise in the unknowing public?

In my opinion, it was the latter. No information was presented about the tracks themselves (i.e. speeds, how long the tracks have been in service) or even the current railroads using them. A lot of focus on the rails, but not on trucks.

[Diamond_D]

Or was it just another railroad bashing, fear spouting piece to get a rise in ratings equal to a rebelious rise in the unknowing public?

if there's ever been a network news report on the subject that WASN'T of this variety, I missed it.

[Jtgshu]

oh yea, because the number of train accidents FAR exceeds the number of tractor trailer accidents where cargo (hazardous or not) is spewed all over the surrounding area..........

sheesh.....

[MikeW]

Scarey stories about train sell more newspapers. You hear about truck accidents every day. How often day hear about derailments like the one in Texas?

[Engineer]

Anyone remember a recent pro-rail non-NIMBY related railroad story? They're few and far between.

[Diamond_D]

NPR: Engineers Cope withTrain Fatalities

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=4622137

an interesting and not anti-rail story, not the usual "my son drove around downed crossing gates and was speeding, and that damn dangerous train hit him! why didn't it stop!" type of report.

Of course it's from Public radio so it doesn't count for the networks

[steve coraggio]

OC Trainguy ,
there was a newspaper article about this either this week past or the previous week. I beleive it had the mayor of Piscataway in the article and he was concerned about what types of materials the trains carry. Hey railroads big or small transport numerous amounts of chemicals, etc. without an incident their safety record is real good. Can an accident happen certainly, but for these politicians to get on the bandwagon about that's another story. Also with all the post 09-11-01 security measures and rails are critical that type of info shouldn't be given out. the bad guys read the papers and watch the news and study things in threal world.
Trainsd pass through Piscataway New Market Ave, crossing and they move through there it NS . That crossing is down from the Model RR Shop. steve coraggio I can be reached through this forum . The railroad and their employees are quite safety conscious anbout their work and what the trains are carrying.

[JLo]

Of course, this is the same mayor that has a gigantic Union Carbide chemical facility located in its borders. Has he tried to shut that down?