Bakken Crude trains and public awareness

[mainetrain]

http://www.northjersey.com/news/trains- ... -1.1066053" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[von schlieffen]

Of course, importing foreign oil has its own hazards. Look at most of the wars of the past 25 years that this country has been involved in.

What happened at Lac-Megantic was due to human error, the failure to set enough brakes. Of course that isn't the only way a train can derail- this article only reinforces the need to invest in improving infrastructure (other than just highways). That is, unless you think it would be safer to move that oil by tractor trailer..

[wolfboy8171981]

Must have been a slow news day.

[pumpers]

Must have been a slow news day.

Wolfboy, speaking of crude, is there anything you can add on the status or plans of the Linden oil trains? On another news group I read a first test train unloaded early last week.
JS

[wolfboy8171981]

There was a NS train last week. It took a couple of days to unload. From what I could find from press releases from Phillips 66, the capacity that the refinery uses daily is actually much less than a 120 car train. Since the linden site only serves the Linden refinery I wouldn't look for daily service (I think 3-4 trains a week would be closer to norm)

[SecaucusJunction]

The rail offloading facility was built to accommodate 70,000bpd. I think that is one train, give or take. It's only a fraction of the daily usage of that facility.

[NYS&W142Fan]

From reading the article above, I guess the News Media doesn't consider all the trucks transporting LP gas, gasoline, fuel oil, chlorine and other hazardous chemicals a danger to the public. Even when it goes by your house. We drive by them every day on our way to work or shopping. Heck look at the explosive power in just one truck that goes around and fills the LP tanks in the backyards! But that is nothing compared to a train in their eyes!

[davebdawg]

Was out at Potter today and caught a 1267 placarded heading west, probably unloaded as it was quite long with only 2 engines.
What is the usual amount weekly full eastbound runs for the crudes?

[mainetrain]

More chatter....

http://www.northjersey.com/news/n-j-off ... -1.1069747" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[wolfboy8171981]

yawn

[von schlieffen]

At least the FRA holds railroads accountable to certain safety standards. My father in law is a truck driver, and if you saw the lack of regulation, and the kind of people driving those tractor trailers with LP gas, petroleum, and other hazmats, you would be appalled. That industry is one in which there is a small number of good, repsponsible drivers, and then many more drunks, drunk addicts, and just plain idiots, driving for peanut wages to feed their addictions. Pipelines are always the safest and best way to move chemicals- rail is certainly imperfect, especially when grade crossings are involved, but vastly better than the alternative.