Page 6 - Flathead Beacon // 6.18.14

6 | JUNE 18, 2014 NEWS FLATHEADBEACON.COM

BNSF, Whiteish Hold Town Hall

Meeting on Oil Train Safety
READER

POLL

FLATHEADBEACON.COM

Railroad outlines its and its shippers use to
Should Montana Lawmakers move crude oil from North
preparedness as more Dakota’s Bakken oil ields.
Ban Texting While Driving?
Since last year, intense fo-
Bakken crude oil rolls cus has been put on the
DOT-111 type tank car
through the Flathead
that has been involved in

some of the recent oil train
By JUSTIN FRANZ of the Beacon
wrecks and were called an
“unnecessary public risk”
WHITEFISH – As more crude oil rides by the National Transpor-
the rails, BNSF Railway held a town hall tation Safety Board. Piper
87% YES 13% NO meeting in Whiteish on June 10 to inform said the railroad has or-
the public about measures the company is dered 5,000 new 1232 type
TOTAL VOTES: 308
taking to prepare for the worst. Movement tank cars that are safer and

of crude oil by rail has been scrutinized re- built to tougher standards.
A BNSF Railway oil train. BEACON FILE PHOTO
Are you Surprised by Majority cently after a series of high-proile derail- The “next generation”
Leader Eric Cantor’s Defeat to ments.
tank car features thicker steel, shields on a ire or an explosion should a train derail.
Spokesperson Matt Jones and other each end of the car to prevent it from being Piper said trailers with ire suppression
Tea-Party Challenger?
BNSF oicials outlined the steps the rail- punctured and are more crash resistant.
foam have been stationed in Whiteish and
road company has taken to respond to a Railroad oicials also discussed the that the railroad company is working with
spill or ire if an oil train were to derail. Flathead Geographic Response Plan, local irst responders to improve training.

They also discussed steps the railroad is which was recently developed to be pre- The company is planning on sending more
taking to prevent derailments in the irst pared if an oil train derailed between East than 700 irst responders from around the
place.
Glacier Park and Stryker. The plan, devel- country to a special three-day oil train de-
“It’s very important as a railroad that oped with local emergency agencies, out- railment training course in Colorado this
we operate safely and that’s our No. 1 pri- lines nearly 40 diferent responses if oil summer and will be holding special train-
ority,” Jones said. “Our goal and vision is spilled in the Middle Fork of the Flathead ing exercises later this fall in Whiteish.
53% YES 47% NO to prevent every accident before it hap- River corridor. Nic Winslow, with BNSF’s Another question raised was about
pens and we’re coming a long way in that environmental remediation program, said how BNSF is securing oil trains and the
TOTAL VOTES: 116
goal but we do understand the hazards of the response plan has detailed maps of installation of additional avalanche snow
moving freight and hazardous materials.”
the entire rail corridor and lists locations sheds to protect the tracks near Essex. On
Do You Agree with President On July 6, 2013, a runaway Montreal, where booms could be deployed to stop two diferent occasions in March, BNSF’s
Maine & Atlantic Railway oil train de- the spread of oil. Winslow said BNSF has main line through Northwest Montana
Obama’s Decision to Exchange railed and exploded in Lac-Megantic, Que. booms stationed in Whiteish and West was closed due to massive avalanches that
Taliban Prisoners for Sgt. Forty-seven people were killed and much Glacier.
came down on the tracks and snow sheds.
Bergdahl?
of the downtown was leveled. Since then, But people in attendance questioned Jones said the railroad does not plan to
other oil trains have derailed and exploded how efective booms would be, especial- build additional sheds at this time but not-

in Alberta, Alabama, North Dakota, New ly on the fast-moving Middle Fork. Da- ed that the current ones are being main-
Brunswick and Virginia.
vid Kaufman, a former Flathead County tained and that it has avalanche experts to
While railroad oicials noted those sherif’s deputy who was involved with the monitor snow conditions.
high-proile accidents, they also said it was local hazmat team, said he did not think Whiteish Mayor John Muhlfeld said
important to recognize that 99 percent of the railroad could quickly deploy enough he plans on following up with BNSF in the
hazardous material rail shipments arrive booms and equipment to remove spilled coming days.
at their destinations safely. Jones also said oil from the river.
“The systems in place are not fail-safe
35YES 65NO
% % that 2013 was the safest year on record for “I think they owe it to the community and there are big risks with moving these
TOTAL VOTES: 199
BNSF and the railroad industry as a whole.
to prove that they can efectively clean up materials throughout community,” Muhl-
Justin Piper, head of BNSF’s hazard- a spill from even just one tank car,” he said.
feld said. “I think this meeting was an im-
ous materials program, talked about the BNSF oicials also talked about the portant irst step.”
ONLINE POLL RESULTS ARE NOT SCIENTIFIC
diferent types of tank cars the railroad
steps the company is taking to prepare for
[email protected]

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