Freight train carrying crude oil derails near Illinois city

[webfact]

Freight train carrying crude oil derails near Illinois city

GALENA, Ill. (AP) — A freight train loaded with crude oil derailed in northern Illinois on Thursday, bursting into flames and prompting officials to suggest that everyone with 1 mile evacuate, authorities said.

The BNSF Railway train derailed around 1:05 p.m. in a rural area where the Galena River meets the Mississippi, according to company spokesman Andy Williams. The train had 103 cars loaded with crude oil, along with two buffer cars loaded with sand. A cause for the derailment hadn't yet been determined. No injuries were reported.

Only a family of two agreed to leave their home, Galena City Administrator Mark Moran said at a news conference late Thursday, adding that the suggestion to evacuate was prompted by the presence of a propane tank near the derailment.

The derailment occurred 3 miles south of Galena in a wooded and hilly area that is a major tourist attraction and the home of former President Ulysses S. Grant. The Jo Daviess County Sheriff's Department confirmed the train was transporting oil from the Northern Plains' Bakken region.

Earlier in the day, Moran said 8 tankers had left the track. But Williams said at the news conference that only six cars derailed, two of which burst into flames and continued to burn into the night.

Firefighters could only access the derailment site by a bike path, said Galena Assistant Fire Chief Bob Conley. They attempted to fight a small fire at the scene but were unable to stop the flames.

Firefighters had to pull back for safety reasons and were allowing the fire to burn itself out, Conley said. In addition to Galena firefighters, emergency and hazardous material responders from Iowa and Wisconsin were at the scene.

The derailment comes amid increased public concern about the safety of shipping crude by train. According to the Association of American Railroads, oil shipments by rail jumped from 9,500 carloads in 2008 to 500,000 in 2014, driven by a boom in the Bakken oil patch of North Dakota and Montana, where pipeline limitations force 70 percent of the crude to move by rail.

Since 2008, derailments of oil trains in the U.S. and Canada have seen 70,000-gallon tank cars break open and ignite on multiple occasions, resulting in huge fires. A train carrying Bakken crude crashed in a Quebec town in 2013, killing 47 people. Last month, a train carrying 3 million gallons of North Dakota crude derailed in a West Virginia snowstorm, shooting fireballs into the sky, leaking oil into a river tributary and forcing hundreds of families to evacuate.

The ruptures and fires have prompted the administration of President Barack Obama to consider requiring upgrades such as thicker tanks, shields to prevent tankers from crumpling, rollover protections and electronic brakes that could make cars stop simultaneously, rather than slam into each other.

In a statement, the Federal Railroad Administration said it was sending investigators to the Illinois derailment site and that the agency will conduct a "thorough investigation," to determine the cause.

BNSF spokesman Michael Trevino said railroad employees were on the scene and additional personnel were headed there.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner also put state personnel and equipment at the ready for deployment.

The train's destination wasn't immediately known.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-03-06

[Anthony5]

The Republicans at work?

[NeverSure]

"Crude" Joke.

[chuckd]

A few comments:

Great timing since the Senate, in the last few days, was unable to override Obama's veto of Keystone Pipeline. Keystone is now dead for this administration so keep your eyes open for more of these incidents.

The train was NOT carrying Canadian crude. This is from North Dakota and Wyoming.

With 103 tankers each carrying in excess of 30,000 gallons, the train had an estimated 3,090,000 gallons of crude.

This railroad, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.

Berkshire Hathaway is largely owned by one Warren Buffett, who has served in an advisory position to the current Democratic administration.

The veto explained.

Edit in: From the OP

"The derailment comes amid increased public concern about the safety of shipping crude by train. According to the Association of American Railroads, oil shipments by rail jumped from 9,500 carloads in 2008 to 500,000 in 2014, driven by a boom in the Bakken oil patch of North Dakota and Montana, where pipeline limitations force 70 percent of the crude to move by rail."

Edited March 6, 2015 by chuckd

[canopus1969]

First the Thais and now the Americans cannot keep their train on the track !

[chuckd]

First the Thais and now the Americans cannot keep their train on the track !

The American train has been off the track for the past six years.

[up-country_sinclair]

This railroad, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.

Berkshire Hathaway is largely owned by one Warren Buffett, who has served in an advisory position to the current Democratic administration.

The veto explained.

What a childlike analysis of events.

Correlation does not imply causation.

I'd vote 'yes' on Keystone pipeline: Warren Buffett

The Keystone oil pipeline is good idea for the United States, Warren Buffett said Monday, even though it would take away some business from his Berkshire Hathaway rail subsidiary BNSF.

The long-delayed leg from Alberta, Canada, to Nebraska should be approved, the billionaire investor told CNBC.

"I would vote 'yes,'" Buffett said in a "Squawk Box" interview

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101460011

Edited March 6, 2015 by up-country_sinclair

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

First the Thais and now the Americans cannot keep their train on the track !

The American train has been off the track for the past six years.

Only 6 years? perhaps you are only 6 years old and can't remember before then?

[Daniel Ingalls]

Here it comes folks.....the price of gas just when up three cents nation wide!!!!

[2fishin2]

Why is this so important to the world? Why not: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/11451906/Germanys-Watergate-Thieves-steal-the-taps-from-Germanys-spy-agency.html

[chuckd]

First the Thais and now the Americans cannot keep their train on the track !

The American train has been off the track for the past six years.

Only 6 years? perhaps you are only 6 years old and can't remember before then?

Actually I am 77 and a recovering amnesiac.

[pegman]

A few comments:

Great timing since the Senate, in the last few days, was unable to override Obama's veto of Keystone Pipeline. Keystone is now dead for this administration so keep your eyes open for more of these incidents.

The train was NOT carrying Canadian crude. This is from North Dakota and Wyoming.

With 103 tankers each carrying in excess of 30,000 gallons, the train had an estimated 3,090,000 gallons of crude.

This railroad, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.

Berkshire Hathaway is largely owned by one Warren Buffett, who has served in an advisory position to the current Democratic administration.

The veto explained.

Edit in: From the OP

"The derailment comes amid increased public concern about the safety of shipping crude by train. According to the Association of American Railroads, oil shipments by rail jumped from 9,500 carloads in 2008 to 500,000 in 2014, driven by a boom in the Bakken oil patch of North Dakota and Montana, where pipeline limitations force 70 percent of the crude to move by rail."

That is only 1/2 the reason. The other 1/2 is that the Koch bros. are the largest foreign lease holders in the tar sands.

[pegman]

First the Thais and now the Americans cannot keep their train on the track !

The American train has been off the track for the past six years.

Only 6 years? perhaps you are only 6 years old and can't remember before then?

Actually I am 77 and a recovering amnesiac.

Seem to have forgotten Dubya & those missing WMD.

[chuckd]

A few comments:

Great timing since the Senate, in the last few days, was unable to override Obama's veto of Keystone Pipeline. Keystone is now dead for this administration so keep your eyes open for more of these incidents.

The train was NOT carrying Canadian crude. This is from North Dakota and Wyoming.

With 103 tankers each carrying in excess of 30,000 gallons, the train had an estimated 3,090,000 gallons of crude.

This railroad, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.

Berkshire Hathaway is largely owned by one Warren Buffett, who has served in an advisory position to the current Democratic administration.

The veto explained.

Edit in: From the OP

"The derailment comes amid increased public concern about the safety of shipping crude by train. According to the Association of American Railroads, oil shipments by rail jumped from 9,500 carloads in 2008 to 500,000 in 2014, driven by a boom in the Bakken oil patch of North Dakota and Montana, where pipeline limitations force 70 percent of the crude to move by rail."

That is only 1/2 the reason. The other 1/2 is that the Koch bros. are the largest foreign lease holders in the tar sands.

Care to back up that allegation?

What is this about..."foreign lease holders"?

The Koch brothers are US citizens. The Bakken Field in question is located in North Dakota and Montana, which are US states.

Unless the news media has completely missed North Dakota and Montana seceding from the US, the Koch brothers are hardly "foreign lease holders".

Perhaps you are correct. But then, perhaps you are not.

PS: FYI, when you "like" a post and then immediately realize you have hit the wrong button and "unlike" it...the other poster still gets a notice that you have "liked" his post. I've done it a few times by accident but since you are new to the board, I just thought you might like to have that little bit of information. I have already determined why you made the "unlike" choice by reading your last two posts.

Edited March 7, 2015 by chuckd

[RichinThailand]

First the Thais and now the Americans cannot keep their train on the track !

The American train has been off the track for the past six years.

Your correct. George Bush put the entire country off the tracks, and Obama has spend the last 6 years trying to put the pieces back together...and now they want Jeb to crash it all again!!!

[chuckd]

First the Thais and now the Americans cannot keep their train on the track !

The American train has been off the track for the past six years.

Your correct. George Bush put the entire country off the tracks, and Obama has spend the last 6 years trying to put the pieces back together...and now they want Jeb to crash it all again!!!

You really don't know what has happened with the economy since the Community Reinvestment Act of 1979 was passed?

Amazing.

Not every Republican wants Jeb either.

[Scott]

I strongly suggest that you get back on the topic of a freight train derailment.

[ratcatcher]

I strongly suggest that you get back on the topic of a freight train derailment.

You are implying they are off track, like the train?