Page 17 - Flathead Beacon // 3.5.14

FLATHEADBEACON.COM NEWS
MARCH 5, 2014 | 17

Bufett: ‘Changes Will Be Made’
Find

to Movement of Oil-By-Rail

SAFETY

BNSF owner says new

tank cars should be built

while federal regulators, and

railroads react to recent

rash of accidents
EVERY

By JUSTIN FRANZ of the Beacon
SECURITY

Business magnate Warren Bufett
said changes must be made to how rail-
roads, including his own BNSF Railway,

moves crude from North Dakota’s Bak-
ken oil ields. Bufett’s statement during
an interview on CNBC on March 3 comes
as federal regulators and railroads de- in banking with
termine how to respond to a recent rash
of explosive derailments, including one
that killed 47 people in Quebec last July.
a local bank
A BNSF oil train rolls through Whiteish. BEACON RILE PHOTO
At least one crude oil train a day
moves through the Flathead Valley, ac- that knos you.
cording to BNSF, and that number could lines that regularly haul crude; efective
lammable liquids but only 14,000 cars
grow in the coming months. Late last April 1, railroads would equip all trains are built to current standards. The old-
year, BNSF executive chairman Mat- with 20 or more carloads of crude with er DOT-111 tank cars were involved in a
thew Rose said his sprawling 32,000- extra locomotives to allow engineers to series of accidents and are more likely
mile railroad would move 1 million bar- stop more quickly; no later than July 1, to rupture in a derailment, which is ex-
rels of crude oil every day by the end of railroads will start using a Rail Corridor actly what happened when a BNSF oil

2014.
Risk Management System to determine train collided with a derailed grain train
“The oil from the Bakken has turned the safest and most secure route to move in Casselton, N.D. on Dec. 30, 2013. It
out to be more volatile than people an- oil; and starting July 1, railroads will op-
was one of ive explosive oil train de-
ticipated and that will require a new railments in just six months. National
kind of tank car,” Bufett said. “There Transportation Safety Board member
will be changes made and there should Robert Sumwalt, who testiied before “TODAY WE ARE RAISING
be changes made.”
the Feb. 26 congressional hearing, said
Those changes are already coming the accidents have created a trend that
THE BAR FOR SHIPPING
down the line. On Feb. 25, the U.S. De- federal regulators must respond to.
partment of Transportation issued an CRUDE OIL ON BEHALF OF “Quite simply, continued use of
emergency order requiring stricter stan- these tank cars presents an unnecessary
dards on the movement of oil-by-rail. It FAMILIES AND COMMUNI- public risk,” he said.
was the fourth emergency order since The Federal Railroad Administra-
July 2013. The order requires that all TIES ALONG RAIL LINES tion and the Pipeline and Hazardous
shippers in the Bakken test oil before it’s Materials Safety Administration are

loaded into tank cars to ensure it’s prop- NATIONWIDE.”
studying the use of the DOT-111 tank car
erly classiied as well as prohibiting the and administrator Cynthia Quarterman
movement of oil in certain types of cars. Warren Bufet
said the agencies would be issuing new
According to the Association of Ameri- rules regarding the car’s use in the com- IDAHO STREET BANK
can Railroads, the emergency order ef- ing months. Quarterman said the new 233 E Idaho St.
fectively banned 3 percent, or about rule could also ban the DOT-111 from
1,100 cars, from carrying North Dakota hauling crude altogether.
Kalispell, MT 59901
crude.
erate crude trains that have at least one When pressed for a irm timeline 755-4271

“Today we are raising the bar for of the older DOT-111 tank cars no faster on when the rules would go into efect,
shipping crude oil on behalf of families than 40 miles per hour through urban Quarterman said the regulators wanted
and communities along rail lines na- areas. Railroad companies will also “to get this right.”
tionwide – if you intend to move crude start working with communities and While federal regulators continue to
oil-by-rail, then you must test and clas- irst responders on how to react to an oil discuss the future of the DOT-111 tank
sify the material appropriately,” said De- train derailment and stage more emer- car, railroads are not waiting to make
MERIDIAN ROAD BANK
partment of Transportation Secretary gency response resources along routes changes. Canada’s two largest railroads
552 N Meridian Rd.
Anthony Foxx. “From emergency orders that have oil trains. BNSF is already announced last month that they would
Kalispell, MT 59901
to voluntary agreements, we are using working on a detailed response plan if charge shippers more for using older
755-5432
every tool at our disposal to ensure the an oil train were to derail along Glacier tank cars. And on Feb. 20, BNSF an-
safe transportation of crude.”
National Park’s southern boundary, ac- nounced it will purchase 5,000 brand
The AAR and U.S. DOT also an- cording to oicials.
new tank cars built to the toughest stan-
A Locally Owned,
nounced new voluntary operating prac- The older DOT-111 tank cars were dards available, according spokesperson
Independent Community
tices for railroads moving oil, includ- frequently mentioned during a congres- Matthew Jones. The tank cars would be
Bank Since 1974
ing BNSF through Northwest Montana. sional hearing on rail safety last week. made of thicker steel and thermal blan-

Starting March 25, railroads will per- According to the AAR, there are rough- keting.
www.ThreeRiversBankMontana.com
www.ThreeRiversBankMontana.com
form additional track inspections on rail
ly 92,000 tank cars currently moving
[email protected]