APNewsBreak: Railroad in fiery derailment agrees to changes

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Fri Dec 23, 2016, 12:30 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Associated Press via Seattle Times

APNewsBreak: Railroad in fiery derailment agrees to changes

Originally published December 23, 2016 at 6:04 am Updated December 23, 2016 at 6:17 am

By MATTHEW BROWN

The Associated Press

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) The nations largest freight railroad has agreed to more thorough inspections and maintenance improvements after a fiery oil train derailment in Oregon and the discovery of more than 800 potential safety violations across its sprawling network.

Details on the agreement between the Federal Railroad Administration and Union Pacific were obtained by The Associated Press.

Sixteen tank cars from a Union Pacific train hauling crude through the Columbia River Gorge derailed in early June along a curve in the tracks near Mosier, Oregon. The accident sparked a massive fire that burned for 14 hours and prompted the evacuation of nearby areas.

No one was injured. But federal officials said the railroad wasnt following its own maintenance rules to ensure the track was safe. Better inspections would have caught a series of broken bolts that allowed the rails to move too far apart where the accident occurred, officials said.

Read more: http://www.seattletimes.com/business/apnewsbreak-railroad-in-fiery-derailment-agrees-to-changes/

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Full disclosure, which I need to add especially in light of the first response: I own shares of Union Pacific. I don't own so many that any settlement with the Federal government is going to affect me. I also favor the safe transport of oil products.

I'm not taking the reply personally, so don't worry about that.

Matthew Brown must work for the Billings Gazette. I can't see any other reason the AP would have someone in Billings.

Railroad involved in fiery Columbia River Gorge derailment agrees to changes

[RedWedge]

1. Railroads have been "golden goosed" terribly over the past few decades.

They're now willing to forgo maintenance and proper staffing and pay the fines later. It's unsustainable, but the shareholder must be appeased.

[Snoopy 7]

5. Right

That savings(?) has been pocketed by the share holders after all who needs all those stinking regulations that only get in the way of their profits...

[elleng]

2. Good to see.

Full disclosure: I was among the regulators approving Union Pacific's merger with Missouri Pacific and Western Pacific, a FEW years ago, and later, others,

About time 'Uncle Pete,' as my co-workers referred to UP, worked harder on getting it's safety act together.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. Take a gander at the thread in GD about Carl Icahn suing the Feds over tank car regs.

Tank Car Maker Controlled by Carl Icahn Suing Railroad Regulators

[elleng]

4. Thanks. Got it.

JUST what we want to see.

[Snoopy 7]

6. Blinded

People have been blinded for so long about the anti-regulation crowd, this has been going on since saint Reagan. Don't forget as long as you don't know your history you are bound to repeat it...