On March 5, 2015, a BNSF Railway train carrying crude oil derailed near Galena, Illinois in an area where the Galena River meets the Mississippi River. At least two tank cars carrying crude oil split open and burst into flames. Twenty-one of the train’s 105 cars derailed in the accident. The train had 103 cars carrying crude oil from the Northern Plains Bakken Shale region.
According to BNSF, the tank cars were Model 1232 cars which were designed with voluntary upgrades and acquired four years ago. The upgrades were developed to prevent leakage and explosions.
The derailment occurred along the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge. As of last week, there was no indication of any contamination to the river. The EPA is monitoring air quality nearby and taking water samples.
The Association of American Railroads reports that the number of oil shipments by rail has increased from 9,500 carloads in 2008 to 500,000 carloads in 2014. BNSF reports that it hauls 32 trainloads of crude oil per week from the Bakken Shale areas of North Dakota and Montana. The increase in movement of crude oil by rail has intensified pressure on the government to adopt tougher safety standards for tank cars. The Department of Transportation’s proposed new standards have previously been reported in this blog.
In addition, recent accidents and derailments have added to public and government concerns about tank car safety. On March 2, 2015, two train cars carrying crude oil derailed in New Orleans on the New Orleans Public Beltway. Each car was carrying 30,000 gallons of crude oil. No oil was leaked in the accident.
For information and updates, contact Toni Ellington at (504) 599-8500.
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