Oil Train Derails and Explodes in Oregon Adjacent to the Columbia River (Video)

An oil train derailment and explosion along the Columbia river in Oregon has once again highlighted the dangers of transporting oil by rail. Around noon on Friday June 2nd, 2016, at least 12 rail cars carrying Bakken oil operated by Union Pacific derailed and caught fire. The wreck occurred in the Columbia River Gorge near the community of Mosier in Oregon which is about about 70 miles east of Portland. The derailment and subsequent fire has forced the evacuation of local schools and nearby homes. The I-84 highway has also been closed to traffic. The fire burned overnight and plumes of black smoke were seen billowing from the scene.

The rail line runs adjacent to the Columbia river which is widely used for both recreation and commerce. Residents of the town of Mosier are being asked to boil their water.

Montana Oil Train Derailment and Spill

On Tuesday July 14th, a train containing 106 oil cars derailed in eastern Montana. A total of 22 cars came off the tracks and at least two of those cars are known to have spilled their load. The derailment took place near Culbertson close to the North Dakota border. In May another oil train derailed and 10 tanker cars caught fire in an incident near Hamberg, North Dakota.

New Oil Train Rules Do Not Go Far Enough

Over the last few years a spate of exploding oil trains in North America has prompted politicians in the US and Canada to introduce new rules designed to make rail transportation safer. We have seen many more derailments and explosions recently due to the 4,000 percent increase in oil shipments by rail between 2008 to 2014. It is a statistical certainty that derailments increase in proportion to the amount of oil shipped by rail.

The actual number of derailments and explosions have exceeded government predictions by 20 percent. A federal government report predicted an average of 10 oil train derailments each year and at a cost of four and a half billion dollars over the next 20 years. However, in the last year alone there have been 12 oil train derailments and in the past two years there have been almost two dozen such derailments.

The End of Oil Trains?

Early in July, people from across North America and around the world paused to remember the one year anniversary of the Lac-Mégantic oil train disaster. This tragic anniversary and the recent spate of rail accidents has increased calls to reign-in oil trains.

The environmental and emotional legacy of the Lac-Mégantic disaster

On July 6, 2013, a runaway train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded killing 47 people and destroying a large part of the little town of Lac-Mégantic. On the anniversary of the disaster, dignitaries joined the people of the town to mourn the tragic events.

Oil Train Derailments: How Many Wake-Up Calls do we Need?

If you need proof of the dangers of transporting oil by rail you need look no further than the spate of accidents that plagued oil trains in the past year. Recent incidence are a statistical outgrowth of the radically increased volume of trains bearing crude.

There have been a number of serious derailments and oil spills, however none were more terrible than the tragic events in Lac Megantic on July 6, 2013.

The growing volume of oil being moved by rail increases the risks from accidents. The equation is simple the more oil that is moved by rail the more risk we incur.

The events in Lac Megantic are but the tip of the iceberg. There have been numerous other oil train incidents in the last year including accidents in:

Tables - Rail Traffic in North America

Curtailing the Transport of Oil by Pipe and Rail

There are a host of benefits associated with decreasing the amount of oil transported by rail. This will not only prevent deaths, injuries and environmental contamination, it will also reduce the amount of oil that makes it to market, which will in turn minimize emissions and drive up the price. Pipelines are the cheapest way to move oil. The cost of moving oil by pipeline is estimated to be between $5 to $10 per barrel of oil compared to $10 to $20 per barrel by train.

Rail industry regulations on the transport of fossil fuels will go a long way to help minimize dangerous accidents. They also have the ancillary benefit of driving up the price of oil which will increase the relative value of renewable sources of energy.

Growing Opposition to Shipping Oil by Rail

The tragedy of the Lac Megantic disaster and the spike of oil train derailments across North America last year are fueling growing concern. People are increasingly asking questions about the dangers of moving fossil fuels by rail. The number of trains ferrying oil that travel through or near major population centers suggest that this concern is justified. (To see a map of oil train routes in the US and Canada click here).

With the memory of the horrific events that ravaged the town of Lac Megantic one year ago, non-violent protests are being staged across the North American as part of the "Worldwide Oil Train Week of Action." These actions are intended to amplify the voices of the growing number of people that oppose oil trains.

Organizers have launched an initiative to secure information about oil train movements and they are encouraging people to monitor rail activity. They are also calling for the eradication of the DOT 111 and DOT 111a rail cars.

Graphs - Oil Shipped by Rail

More Oil Being Shipped by Rail = More Risks

As resistance to pipelines builds, trains have become the preferred mode of transportation for oil producers in North America. With the increased levels of shipping by rail comes increased incidence of accidents.

In 2013 alone there were 88 rail accidents involving oil and at least 8 explosions of trains bearing crude. Seven of the 10 worst US oil spills in the last decade happened in the last three years. More crude oil has spilled from train accidents in 2013 than in the previous four decades combined. Between 1975 to 2012, US rail spilled a combined 800,000 gallons of crude oil. This pales in comparison to the 1.15 million gallons of crude oil was spilled in 2013.

Oil is involved in more rail and road accidents than any other dangerous goods. Between January 1, 2006 and June 30, 2013, almost one third of all accidents involving the transportation of dangerous goods by rail or road involved crude oil.

The Environmental and Emotional Legacy of the Lac-Mégantic Disaster

One year ago yesterday, a runaway train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded killing 47 people and destroying a large part of the little town of Lac-Mégantic. On the anniversary of the disaster, dignitaries joined the people of the town to mourn the tragic events of July 6 2013. After the fires burned out, the town was covered in black soot and 1.5 million gallons (6 million litres) of oil had seeped into the ground and the nearby river.

The explosion destroyed the town's waste water treatment plant and released pathogens into the water.  Far more serious are the enduring impacts on the air, water and earth.

Event - Worldwide Oil Train Week of Action

Oil Train Week of Action takes place from Sunday July 6, to Sunday July 13, 2014.

On July 6, 2013, a runaway train filled with oil crashed into Lac-Mégantic killing 47 people and decimating much of the small town.

While we will never be able to erase the scars from this tragic disaster, efforts are being made to transform the horrors of that day into an initiative that will protect people from the recklessness of the oil companies.

Quebec Government Sues MM&A for Oil Train Disaster in Lac-Mégantic

The Lac-Mégantic crude oil train disaster is not only tragic for the 47 people who lost their lives, it is a costly environmental calamity that decimated a significant part of the small town. The government of Quebec is the latest to add its name to those seeking compensation from the now insolvent Montreal, Maine & Atlantic (MM&A) railroad company. MM&A along with 3 employees are also facing criminal charges in the case.

On Monday June 16 the government said it is seeking $409 million from the MM&A for expenses associated with the tragedy. According to June 13 claim by Quebec's justice ministry the province has already spent $126 million in public funds. They expect to spend an additional $283 million. Justice is seeking compensation so that Quebec taxpayers are not left to foot the bill.

Train Derails and Spills Oil in Lynchburg Virginia

On Wednesday April 30th, yet another train carrying oil derailed and burst into flames. The Virginia spill occurred in downtown Lynchburg and caused an unknown quantity of crude to spill into the James River. Richmond, the state capital of Virginia, draws its drinking water from the James River.

Virginia is a state that is no stranger to having its water contaminated by fossil fuel byproducts.

Both Duke Energy and Freedom Industries have recently poisoned Virginia's waterways with coal byproducts.

More than a dozen tanker cars were involved in this derailment and hundreds of people in nearby homes and businesses had to be temporarily evacuated until the fire burned itself out.

CN Plans to Phase Out Rail Cars that Caused the Lac Megantic Disaster

On March 25, Canadian National Railway announced that it would phase its fleet of older rail cars that carry flammable liquid including fossil fuels. These tanker cars came under public scrutiny after the tragic derailment and explosion of the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic (MM&A) tankers carrying crude oil in Lac Megantic. The fiery derailment decimated the town and killed 47 people.

Even before the Lac Megantic disaster, the safety of these rail cars were called into question. Concerns about the DOT-111 tank car were in evidence in a 2012 report from the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). According to the NTSB there have been at least five investigations into safety of the tanker cars, including accident investigations in Wisconsin, Illinois and Pennsylvania.