Feds issue another crude-by-rail emergency order, advisory to enhance safety

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Feds issue another crude-by-rail emergency order, advisory to enhance safety

Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation
5/8/2014

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) yesterday issued an emergency order requiring all railroads operating trains containing large amounts of Bakken crude oil to notify State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs) about the operation of those trains through their states.

The order requires that each train carrying more than 1 million gallons of Bakken crude, or about 35 tank cars, in a particular state provide the SERC notification regarding the expected movement of such trains and the affected counties. The notification must include estimated volumes of Bakken crude, frequencies of anticipated train traffic and the planned routes. The order also requires that railroads provide the SERCs contact information for at least one responsible party and help the commissions share the information with appropriate emergency responders in affected communities.
....

Meanwhile, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) yesterday issued a safety advisory strongly urging those shipping or offering Bakken crude to use tank-car designs with the highest available level of integrity. The FRA and PHMSA also are advising carriers and offerers to avoid the use of older legacy "DOT-111" or "CTC-111" tank cars to transport Bakken crude.

"Changes in railroad operations over the last several years, including increased rail traffic, higher in-train forces due to the transportation of hazardous materials tank cars at higher gross rail loads, and the likelihood of individual tank cars accumulating more miles annually, have resulted in tank car design changes to accommodate these increased stresses and to significantly reduce the chances of a catastrophic failure," FRA and PHMSA officials said in the safety advisory. "Design changes include new tank car steel and improvements of structural features. Older 'legacy' tank cars, however, without more modern construction and design enhancements, continue to be used to transport hazardous materials, including Bakken crude oil."

Emergency Order UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Petroleum Crude Oil Railroad Carriers
Docket No. DOT-OST-2014-0067

EMERGENCY RESTRICTION/PROHIBITION ORDER

This notice constitutes an Emergency Restriction/Prohibition Order (Order) by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT; Department) pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 5121(d). This Order is issued to all railroad carriers that transport in a single train in commerce within the United States, 1,000,000 gallons or more of UN 1267, Petroleum crude oil, Class 3,{1} sourced from the Bakken shale formation in the Williston Basin (Bakken crude oil). By this Order, DOT is requiring that each railroad carrier provide the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) for each state in which it operates trains transporting 1,000,000 gallons or more of Bakken crude oil, notification regarding the expected movement of such trains through the counties in the state. The notification shall identify each county, or a particular state or commonwealth’s equivalent jurisdiction (e.g., Louisiana parishes, Alaska boroughs, Virginia independent cities) (county), in the state through which the trains will operate.

{1}

Recommendations for Tanks Cars Used for the Transportation of Petroleum Crude Oil by Rail

Hat tip, Trainorders, for the link to Inside Climate News.

TSB of Canada Lac Megantic Derailment

U.S. Regulator Orders Bakken Oil Shippers Not to Use Older Rail Cars

Too Much Propane Could Be a Factor in Exploding Oil Trains

INFOGRAPHIC: Oil Train Explosions: The Importance of Removing Volatile Gases

[Demeter]

1. Why 35? Why not One?

So they get to send 34 cars under the radar? What kind of idiots devise such ruses?

[jschurchin]

2. They aren't shipped that way.

They are shipped in trains of a minimum of 85 cars. Anything less is not financially viable. The vast majority of them are in consists of between 102 and 120 cars.
The oil trains are dedicated. In other words, they are built and stay that way for the duration.
Take my word for this, I do it for a living.

[Demeter]

3. I'll take your word for it

but be on the lookout for sneakiness! Since you are in a position to know...

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. More on the new emergency order

Hat tip, Trainorders: Fed tank car rules are slow in coming

NY Times has an article about the "flurry of emergency orders" issued by government regulators following concerns about oil safety.

The article notes that even the rail industry is divided. BNSF has broken with industry practice, and is buying new tank cars. Some refiners are hesitant about retiring "perfectly good" but not 1232 compliant cars. They note that 1232 cars were in the Lynchburg fire last week.

Canadian rules have raised the bar, and CN has raised shipping costs for non-compliant tank cars. That, in turn has created a problem for US shippers.
....

“We recognize the status quo isn’t acceptable,” said Mr. Simpson of the Rail Supply Institute. “If I could say one thing to the secretary of transportation, it is get the rule out. Give us certainty and we will act.”

Despite Orders, Federal Tank-Car Safety Measures Are Slow in Coming

By JAD MOUAWADMAY 8, 2014

The derailment of a freight train carrying crude oil in Lynchburg, Va., last week was a reminder that basic safety features of the oil-by-rails business remain vastly inadequate, despite a flurry of emergency orders by federal regulators.

The federal Department of Transportation, which on Wednesday said that the growing movement of oil trains posed an “imminent hazard” to the public, has nevertheless been slow to toughen up tank-car standards.
....

But safety advocates, as well as railroad officials, point out that these newer cars — known as CPC-1232s — have also failed in recent crashes.

Ten of the 13 cars that derailed in Lynchburg, Va., last week, for instance, were built after 2011, including the one that ruptured and spilled 30,000 gallons of oil into the James River, according to Eric Weiss, a spokesman at the National Transportation Safety Board. At least two other recent train derailments also involved newer tank cars.

Tracks by the James River near downtown Lynchburg, Va., where CSX tanker cars carrying crude oil derailed on April 30. Credit Steve Helber/Associated Press *

There are oil trains (follow up)

Feds tighten rules for oil trains passing through N.J. and other states

* I sent this email to the author:

The cutline for the AP picture says: "Tracks by the James River near downtown Lynchburg, Va., where CSX tanker cars carrying crude oil derailed on April 30. Credit Steve Helber/Associated Press"

That was a CSX train on CSX tracks. I'll bet a great deal, however, that the cars were privately owned. Reporting marks for privately owned cars end in "X." Example, GATX. I doubt they were CSX tank cars. Most tank cars are privately owned. It's been that way for, well, as long as I can remember. It probably has something to do with John D. Rockefeller.

http://www.gatx.com/wps/wcm/connect/gatx/gatx_site/home

Oooh, look at the big picture on the splash page.