Train Derailment
Amtrak Train Derails Near Philadelphia—At Least Six Confirmed Dead
A northbound Amtrak Northeast Regional train derailed after leaving the Philadelphia Amtrak station around 9:30 p.m, on May 12. The scene was called a disaster, with the first of the seven cars that derailed severely crushed. No cause was given.
Emergency Crude-by-Rail Safety Orders Take Effect
The emergency rules issued by DOT, including lowering oil-train speeds to 40 mph in urban areas, go into effect on April 20. They are in addition to rules expected to be released May 12 that address oil tanker car construction.
Metro Light Rail Crash and Derailment Near USC in Los Angeles
Two cars of a three-car Metro Exposition Line train derailed after hitting a compact car in Los Angeles: 21 hurt; train operator and motorist critically. Service was disrupted for thousands of people headed to an international soccer game at USC.
Crude-by-Rail's New Workhorse No Better than the Old Workhorse
The new oil tank cars were supposed to be key to preventing the fiery explosions associated with oil-train derailments. However, four recent explosions since Feb. 14, with two occurring last Thursday and Saturday, all involved the new tankers.
Metrolink Crash Would Have Been Much Worse If Not for New Rail Cars
While all four passenger cars derailed in Tuesday morning's crash with a pickup truck, three on their sides, experts indicate that the new cars likely prevented far greater damage. Also covered is the locomotive push-pull issue and grade separations.
Truck Causes Fiery Metrolink Crash in Southern California
All four cars* of a Metrolink train derailed sending 28 people to the hospital, four with critical injuries. The southbound Ventura line train was headed to Union Station Los Angeles when it hit the produce truck at 5:45 AM.
Canada to Hold Shippers, Railways Fully Accountable for Oil-Train Derailments
Since the July 2013 derailment and explosion of an oil train in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec* killed 47, Canada has contributed C$155 million toward the rebuilding effort because the railroad's insurance was insufficient.
Oil Train Derailment in W.Va. Results in Fiery Explosion and Oil Spill
A 109-car oil train carrying crude from North Dakota derailed Monday afternoon, causing a fireball that was still burning Tuesday morning. Initial reports had at least one tanker leaking oil into a tributary of the Kanawha River, closing water plants
After Keystone Delay, Enviros Challenge Other Pipelines
After successfully stalling the Keystone XL pipeline that would transport tar sands crude from Alberta to Gulf area refineries, environmental activists are targeting other proposed pipelines, although the result may be more crude-by-rail shipments.
Freight Rail Conundrum: Speed vs. Safety
Safety would win hands down for passenger rail, but for-profit railroads have a bottom line to consider. Regulators have proposed reduced train speeds, opposed by railroads, to prevent fiery derailments that have resulted from shipping shale oil.
Oil and Rail Industries Agree to Phase Out Oldest Rail Oil Tank Cars
A deal may be near between energy and rail industries and the Department of Transportation to phase out the DOT-111 tank car—the same kind implicated in the horrific explosions of oil trains, particularly those carry Bakken crude from North Dakota.
Proposed Pipeline Poses Dilemma for Keystone Pipeline-Supporting Governor
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad supports the Keystone XL Pipeline, as do most Republican leaders. Then again, it doesn't go through his state. Not so for the newly proposed Bakken Pipeline that cuts across the heart of Iowa. No word on his position yet.
Oil Train Derailment, Fire, and Spill Shed Light on Lack of Preparation
The derailment of the CSX oil unit train in downtown Lynchburg, Va. on April 30 and subsequent fire and oil spill into the James River caught Lynchburg, Va. officials off-guard, who were unaware of the oil shipments, let alone how to handle crashes.
Oil Tanker Cars Derail; Fireball Erupts in Downtown Lynchburg, Va.
Fortunately, there were no injuries in the restored, downtown waterfront district in this city of 71,000. Fifteen cars derailed; three exploded into a six-story-high fireball. Oil spilled into the James River, threatening downstream water supplies.
Would Advanced Technology Have Prevented the Metro-North Derailment?
As federal investigators focus on the likelihood of human error being the cause of the Dec. 1 derailment that killed four passengers, attention has been placed on the federal requirement for all railroads to install positive train control systems.
Engineer is Focus of Metro-North Derailment Investigation
With the train's black box showing that the speeding commuter train entered a 30 M.P.H curve at 82 M.P.H, causing the derailment, attention has turned toward the engineer. CNN reports that the engineer admits to "nodding off" before the crash.
Commuter Train Derailment in the Bronx Kills Four
What caused the Metro-North train to derail Sunday at 7:20 a.m. is not known, though the train operator pointed to faulty brakes. 63 of the 100 to 150 people onboard were injured, 11 critically, in the city's deadliest train crash in two decades.
Yet Another Oil Conflagration in Canada Caused by Train Derailment
Reuters reports that at 1 a.m. on Oct. 19, 13 cars of a CN train hauling oil and LPG derailed in Alberta. One car exploded and three others caught fire. Fortunately, there were no injuries, unlike July's fatal conflagration in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec.
Is High-Speed Rail Safe?
For anyone who has ridden in a high-speed train, the idea of a derailment is terrifying. Last week's crash of an Alvia train in Spain made such fears seem less irrational. Yonah Freemark examines whether high-speed rail is a safe mode of travel.
Excessive Speed Suspected in Deadly Spanish Derailment
79 people are confirmed to have died so far in Spain's most deadly train accident in 40 years. The accident involved an Alvia train traveling from Madrid to Ferrol that was said to be operating at more than twice the advised speed when it derailed.
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City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
