Pennsylvania oil train safety report makes 27 recommendations

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
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A report commissioned by Pennsylvania and written by Dr. Allan Zarembski evaluates the commonwealth's freight rail system and makes 27 recommendations to improve the safety of oil by train.

 

Zarembski’s report, Assessment of Crude by Rail Safety Issues in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, identifies areas of high risk and make recommendations for crude-by-rail safety measures, as well as identifies ways to implement those measures as efficiently and cost-effective as possible.

“Every week, roughly 60 to 70 trains carrying crude oil travel through Pennsylvania destined for Philadelphia or another East Coast refinery and I have expressed grave concern regarding the transportation of this oil and have taken several steps to prevent potential oil train derailments,” said Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf. “Protecting Pennsylvanians is my top priority and Dr. Zarembski’s report is important in helping my administration take the necessary steps. I will also continue to work with CSX and Norfolk Southern, both of which have demonstrated concern for rail safety and an interest in working with my administration. I would also like to thank Dr. Zarembski for his hard work in writing this report and for producing numerous recommendations that will help my administration prepare.”

Since taking office in January 2015, Gov. Tom Wolf has been focused on improving the safety of movements of oil by train. In his first full week in office, the governor conducted an emergency table-top planning exercise to model the state’s response in the event of a crude oil train derailment in an urban area. Gov. Wolf has met with executives from Norfolk Southern and CSX to discuss safety measures that could lower the risk of derailments. He has also directed the Pennsylvania Office of the Fire Commissioner to examine how an oil train fire could be extinguished to protect public safety and the Wolf Administration has undertaken a review of the frequency and the procedures associated with rail infrastructure inspections by federal and state inspectors.

The report looks at the current level of risk and presents the results of this assessment. This assessment addresses three major areas of CBR safety in the commonwealth: Derailment risk; tank car breach/rupture risk and regulatory oversight.

This assessment also addresses the effect of proposed new U.S. Department of Transportation and industry standards for tank car design and train operations and operating systems to include speed reduction, use of Electronically Controlled Pneumatic (ECP) Brakes and Positive Train Control (PTC).

A total of 27 recommendations are presented in the report; divided into primary (18) and secondary (9) categories. Primary categories are those expected to have direct safety results and which can be implemented by the railroads directly working with the commonwealth of Pennsylvania or by the commonwealth itself. Secondary categories include activities which are more difficult to implement or which may require action by a party other than the railroad or commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

For a full list of recommendations and to read the full report please visit here.

 

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