Near Montgomery, Wv 30 east of Charleston, Wv. Fire, House burning, oil in river, evacuation 1-1/2 miles around.
http://wchstv.com/news/features/eyewitness-news/stories/Area-Being-Evacuated-After-Train-Derails-In-Fayette-County-Spills-Oil-Into-River-82336.shtml#.VOJOJ9E5AqR
another link.
http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/Train-Derailment-Causes-Fire-near-Montgomery-Evacuation-Underway-292096241.html?device=tablet&c=y
Bitter cold will not help clean up
"+1" to Euclid's post above. This one gets an "OMG" from me.
Thanks a lot, CSX. [heavy sarcasm]
Was it Bakken crude ? Seems to have been very 'light' and volatile to burn that fiercely.
Only mitigating circumstances are that the fire will 'burn off' some of it, lessening the spill/ pollution of the river and drinking water sources; and the very cold temperatures may congeal the stuff at least a little bit to reduce how fast and far it spreads.
Didn't this same area have the massive leak/ spill of the 'coal treatment fluid' of some kind that also contaminated water sources about a year ago ? If so, that'll leave all the local residents and officilas at various levels of government not too kindly disposed towards another one like that and hence CSX, to say the least.
- Paul North.
This would be a bit upstream from the one you're (accurately) remembering, Paul. That was one that started on a tributary of the Kanawha River (and reporters and newscasters are having fun with that spelling and pronunciation!) just above Charleston.This one was at least immediately noticeable, and precautions could be taken in time. The other one, with non-cooperatve owners, not so much. It wasn't that long ago that I read that the water there still tastes strange and can ignite at the tap, though it's allegedly safe to drink. I'll pass this year, thanks!
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
This happened during a really cold spell-broken rail?
Probably another example of issue-focused hyperbole...Thanks, Jay!
Evening news (ABC) seem to blame the tank cars not being strong enough. Don't believe content was mentioned. File footage was bad.
Man, I think that second link is gonna hurt the rails. People won't stand for that.
One example of how the media plays into the mix. This one made the forum, but the one 2 days ago on the CN in a remote area got less coverage and wasn't even mentioned on the forum.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
The second link needs repeating as much has been added. The video sound may have a blieve as the roar certainly sound like vapor burning. Tree any ideas ?
Oh #%$#^$!
dehusmanOne example of how the media plays into the mix
And here's another. During the Charleston TV reporter's impassioned diatribe, he repeatedly refers to the incident as a disaster, even a major disaster. Of course he may be unaware of the coal mine explosions that plagued the WV coal fields for years and that killed hundreds of miners. Or the nitroglycerin truck explosions that caused damage to a number of WV towns. West Virginians have a lot of expeience dealing with industrial incidents.
He did identify the oil as coming from the Bakken oil fields in ND. He also noted that 12 to 15 oil tank cars had derailed and that 3 had exploded.
Yes, the incident is somewhat scary and dramatic, but it's not a disaster.
blue streak 1Tree any ideas ?
While a BLEVE is always a possibility, the explosions could have also simply been a catastrophic failure due to a combination of mechanical damage, fire damage, and the fire. Really kind of a fine line.
If you light a pile of gunpowder, it will pretty much all ignite at once, with spectacular effect, but you won't get the "bang" you get when you confine it (as in a firecracker).
Without having seen the actual vessels fail, I can't really guess.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
At least the good news is no fatalities reported..... So not Lac Magantic all over again..... Bad news is, yeah, this is gonna leave a mark on everyone's perceived opinions of rail traffic safety...
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
Just saw this on the news. Definitely not good as it gives the oil train detractors more ammunition. Here in Clark County Washington, Tesoro is wanting to build a new facility in the Port of Vancouver and many don't want the facility and the extra trains. It's been a hot topic for sure. Even with the extra jobs that come with the new facility, there are many fighting the proposal. Heck there are those that don't even want the coil trains running as there has been increased traffic from those as well. It seems people around don't care for trains much. They would rather we truck all the oil across the US increasing traffic and polution.
Thankfully no one was hurt.
Trains Northwest
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7z2SF15sZ3pfV_VymvNf9A
No the Enviromentals want us to sit in the cold dark and go back to the caveman days and freeze our butts off. They dont want oil or coal (CO2) They dont want wind(Kills Birds) Dont want solar(Dont want big wind farms) Dont want Hydroeletric (Kills Fish) Dont want nuke(Radiation) Dont want prisonor power riding bikes to generate electicity(Human Explotation Prisons for profit) They would rather have a planet with no people on it and have said it many times.
I don't want to sound like a consiracy theorist but has it occured to anyone else that there seems to be a lot of derailments involving oil trains. Is anyone aware of any statistics regarding derailments and a comparision to oil trains vs everything else. Aside from the tragedy in Quebec has anyone looked at all the other oil derailments to see if there is a common thread in safety practices or maintenance etc?
The plain fact of the matter is the oil has to be moved and it's going to be moved, one way or another. The Republicans know it, and the top Democrats know it, even if they won't come out and say so for fear of alienating their evironmentalist voting base. This is a national interest issue, and all responsible political leaders know party ideology has to take a back seat when a serious national interest issue comes to the fore.
No-one with any sense of responsibility wants gasolene at $4 or more a gallon. Money going down the gas tank is money people can't spend on other things. No one likes oil imports, especially from unstable parts of the world. Everyone wants as much energy independence as possible, 100% if it's do-able.
Rail safety issues should be and have to be addressed, but for now no-one's going to stop those oil trains.
seppburgh2 Evening news (ABC) seem to blame the tank cars not being strong enough. Don't believe content was mentioned. File footage was bad.
Believe NOTHING on television (espechaill ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN) Thoes are partisians with an agenda not reporters with a story. They do not bother to understand the facts, and the tanks cars are on their radar. They blatently strive to pander to a certain agenda and will bend any number, any situation to meet that goal.
Brian Williams on Steroids.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
RayG8 I don't want to sound like a consiracy theorist but has it occured to anyone else that there seems to be a lot of derailments involving oil trains. Is anyone aware of any statistics regarding derailments and a comparision to oil trains vs everything else. Aside from the tragedy in Quebec has anyone looked at all the other oil derailments to see if there is a common thread in safety practices or maintenance etc?
No, there anve NOT been a lot of derailments of oil trains, but there are a number of derailments of all kinds. The others do not get reported at all, so the only ones that Brian Williams, et. al. ever here of are the ones carring oil.
Yes, Bakken oil is a sweet light crude with a much higer BTU and with more power to them, but then that is what people are buying when they buy oil: POWER.
trackrat888 No the Enviromentals want us to sit in the cold dark and go back to the caveman days and freeze our butts off. They dont want oil or coal (CO2) They dont want wind(Kills Birds) Dont want solar(Dont want big wind farms) Dont want Hydroeletric (Kills Fish) Dont want nuke(Radiation) Dont want prisonor power riding bikes to generate electicity(Human Explotation Prisons for profit) They would rather have a planet with no people on it and have said it many times.
Utter nonsense and lies. Or are you some conspracy nut off his meds?
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
BroadwayLion seppburgh2 Evening news (ABC) seem to blame the tank cars not being strong enough. Don't believe content was mentioned. File footage was bad. Believe NOTHING on television (espechaill ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN) Thoes are partisians with an agenda not reporters with a story. They do not bother to understand the facts, and the tanks cars are on their radar. They blatently strive to pander to a certain agenda and will bend any number, any situation to meet that goal. Brian Williams on Steroids. ROAR
As though you are a more credible source with no agenda? I notice you do not list FAUX 'News' as not partisan and biased, so your own far rightist bias is pretty clear.
Now don't be so hard on Brother Lion, Schlimm. I once knew an Olds dealer who say he didn't believe ANYTHING unless it was on GM stationary!
Isn't pretty common knowledge that most tank cars are not built to new safety regulations that will take a effect . these regulations require new cars to be strengthen and have additional safety applicances on them to reduce the chance of explosion . the olders cars have to be modified or phased out. Hence the huge back log of tank car orders.
The issue has nothing to do with the right or left even though many prefer to frame it that way. I live 3 miles from the CSX ( former NYC water level route) both my tree hugger and non tree hugger friends agree that these cars need to be made as safe as possible so we don't wake up to a holocaust one spring morning. It was said that 20 oil trains roll through here on a daily basis.
Most people realize that thier are risks involved in every thing we do. this doesn't mean we reduce safety regulations to reduce the non tree huggers rants. Nor ramp them up to make it impossible to do business. A balence has to be found. I certainly hope the many tanker trucks that roll thur here are built to high level of satety standards as well.
Train derailments always seem more dramatic then truck collision most likely due to the huge volume a tank train holds compared to a single trailer. These kinds of wrecks will bring unwanted media exposure to the companies involved. Its a cost of doing business and companies have to live by actions they take both pre and post accident. CSX seems to being doing a good with it.
I was living in south Florida when the south bound silver star hit a gasoline tanker. Huge explosion with multiple deaths. The trucker was ultimately found at fault but does nothing to help his and the other families of the victims of the accident.
schlimm As though you are a more credible source with no agenda? I notice you do not list FAUX 'News' as not partisan and biased, so your own far rightist bias is pretty clear.
Do I detect a left wing pot calling the kettle black?
Norm
more proof that pipes are better than rails
chicagorails more proof that pipes are better than rails
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/09/09/business/energy-environment/pipeline-spills.html?_r=0
http://crooksandliars.com/2015/01/another-pipeline-explosion-time-west
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Firelock76The plain fact of the matter is the oil has to be moved and it's going to be moved, one way or another. No-one with any sense of responsibility wants gasolene at $4 or more a gallon. Rail safety issues should be and have to be addressed, but for now no-one's going to stop those oil trains.
No-one with any sense of responsibility wants gasolene at $4 or more a gallon.
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