The East Palestine rail disaster is bad. But it’s not even close to a worst-case scenario. We have seen worse, just north of the border, and have failed to learn the lessons.
At around 1:00 a.m. on July 6, 2013— almost ten years ago—an unmanned train carrying seventy-two tank cars of highly combustible crude oil barreled out of control down a hill toward Lac-Mégantic, Canada, reaching 65 m.p.h.—three times the typical speed. In the middle of town, the train hit a 10 m.p.h. curve and careened off the track, rupturing tanks and disgorging six million liters of crude.
Within moments, the oil was burning, flowing down streets and into storm sewers, creating geysers of fire exploding from manholes. Residents, many still partying in towns bars and clubs, tried to flee this flaming tsunami, with little luck: the resulting inferno obliterated most of downtown, destroying thirty buildings and incinerating forty-seven people.
Residents, many still partying in towns bars and clubs, tried to flee this flaming tsunami, with little luck: the resulting inferno obliterated most of downtown, destroying thirty buildings and incinerating forty-seven people.
Rail workers were initially blamed for the disaster (for allegedly not setting the brakes properly) and tried on 47 counts of criminal negligence causing death — one count for each of the victims of the rail disaster. But a Canadian government study and subsequent trial revealed that poor maintenance, faulty breaks, failure of (allegedly) redundant safety systems, flawed procedures, one man crews, inadequate training, and weak oversight were among the real root causes of the catastrophe.
The rail workers were eventually acquitted.
Lessons Not Learned
Meanwhile, little has been done in the United States to prevent a similar catastrophe impact the 25 million Americans who currently live near railroad tracks carrying oil trains. In fact, if anything, the U.S. federal government has been scaling back rather than increasing rail safety protections.
Initiatives like mandating minimum staffing, improved breaking systems (to replace the current Civil War era braking systems, hazard reduction for trains carrying toxic and flammable materials and other measures have been stalled or rolled back.
Initiatives like mandating minimum staffing, improved breaking systems (to replace the current Civil War era braking systems, hazard reduction for trains carrying toxic and flammable materials and other measures have been stalled or rolled back.
And the nation was educated recently about the dangers of the railroads’ new business model: “precision scheduled railroading,” which has drastically reduced the number of rail employees to the point where rail operator profits leave absolutely no cushion for labor shortages, important family events and tragedies, or even illness.
Precision scheduled railroading as also reduced time workers spend on equipment maintenance and repair. More critical, over the past few years, rail employment has declined by one-third. that rail workers are chronically overworked, over stressed and burned out with little or no sick leave. It can’t be good for rail workers — who are responsible for miles-long trains full of explosive and hazardous materials — to come work sick, fatigued and pissed off.
Anyone want to place a bet on whether rail workers will be blamed for the East Palestine disaster?
Meanwhile, anyone want to place a bet on whether rail workers will be blamed for the East Palestine disaster?
A Real Worst-Case Scenario?
I’ve called Lac Megantic a worst case scenario. But was it. Lac Megantic is a relatively small town, and despite the catastrophic explosion, the there are more flammable and more toxic chemicals than crude oil being transported routinely on America’s rails.
Imagine such a disaster in or near a major urban area, with not only explosive materials, but highly toxic chemicals that can kill thousands and persist for generations.
It’s not too late to learn the lessons of Lac Megantic and East Palestine. But the clock is ticking.
I will be writing more about these issues in the coming days. But if you want to know what we should really be fearing, look to Lac Megantic.
Jordan–i don’t know if it has changed (I wrote on chemical industrial accidents, not transportation), but i recall several years ago an effort to get these toxic chemical loads out of cities, particularly the nation’s capitol. The rail industry strongly opposed even a discussion.
When i watch tankers pass near House building i wonder?
As a Canadian academic experienced in rail ops and interested in the political initiatives undertaken resulting from incidents such as Lac Megantic and now East Palestine, I have to agree that our regulators have stuck their heads in sand, hoping and praying that recurrences never occur. It has taken 10 years for the Canadian regulator to arrive at an expropriation offer to permit the relocation of the mainline to bypass the town centre of Lac Megantic, a process that continues to tear at the citizens of the town 10 years after their “Hiroshima”. Lest we forget!!! And prayers to the next town that will undoubtedly face the effects of regulatory neglect.