North Dakota governor pleased with BNSF’s steps to improve safety

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor

North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple said he is pleased with actions taken by BNSF in response to the comprehensive review and analysis of rail operations and infrastructure around Casselton, N.D., following the Nov. 13 derailment, the second derailment in the area within the last year.

 

BNSF listed several actions it will take immediately to address rail safety in the area in a letter Dalrymple and Casselton Mayor Lee Anderson received from Gregory Fox, BNSF executive vice president of operations.

“I am pleased that BNSF has responded to our request to conduct an intensive inspection of the track around Casselton and identify actions that can be taken to ensure rail safety in the area,” Dalrymple said. “These actions are a good step forward to preventing further incidents and improving overall safety. We will continue to press BNSF for further review, including analysis of the roadbed and ballast throughout the area.”

Following this month’s derailment, Dalrymple spoke with BNSF Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Matt Rose, urging the state’s largest rail carrier to perform an exhaustive inspection of the track system around Casselton. The governor suggested the railroad perform a complete analysis of rail track both east and west of Casselton and thoroughly inspect rail, base, ties, crossing areas and other infrastructure.

In the letter to Dalrymple and Anderson, BNSF provided an update on its progress to perform a “deep review and analysis of BNSF rail operations and infrastructure in the vicinity of Casselton.” The company outlined further steps it will take to ensure a safe operation and “provide additional confidence for the community that we are committed to their safety.”

Some of the actions BNSF is taking immediately to address rail safety in the Casselton area include increasing the frequency for testing rail from five times per year to 12 per year; installing equipment detectors on all routes leading into Casselton to flag issues before an incident occurs; providing additional supervision and oversight by assigning a maintenance engineer to focus on this segment of railroad, as well as adding additional winter seasonal manpower for maintenance and accelerate critical infrastructure investments by replacing rail relay and ties within a seven-mile-range of Casselton in 2015.

 

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