As a follow up to my prior post of March 6, 2014, here is the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) agenda for the April 22-23, 2014 Rail Safety Forum on Transportation of Crude Oil and Ethanol by rail.
The public meeting will be held at NTSB's Washington HQ and will also be available via webcast. Speaking at the meeting will be researchers, crude oil and ethanol shippers, tank car builders, rail carriers, emergency responders, and federal regulators. The presentations will cover current and proposed safety initiatives, including attempts to reduce the consequences of accidents involving crude and ethanol via tank car design, operating practices, and emergency preparedness.
Showing posts with label tank car. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tank car. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Monday, February 24, 2014
Railroads to Adopt Voluntary Crude By Rail Safety Initiative
A voluntary safety initiative addressing shipment of crude oil by rail has been announced by the USDOT and the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Under the voluntary initiative, major U.S. Railroads will agree to the following steps, outlined in the attached letter from USDOT Secretary, Anthony Foxx:
1. Effective March 25, 2014, one additional internal rail test (i.e. ultrasonic testing) will be conducted each year, and at least two track geometry inspections per year, on track over which crude traffic runs.
2. Route analysis requirements under 49 CFR 171.820(c) will apply to trains transporting 20 or more loaded tank cars carrying petroleum crude oil, which are to be termed "Key Crude Oil Trains."
3. Key Crude Oil Trains with at least one USDOT 111 type tank car, not meeting AAR Circular CPC-1232 requirements, will be restricted to 40 mph, effective July 1, 2014 or before.
4. By July 1, 2014 the participating railroads will have installed wayside defect detectors to detect overheated bearings at intervals of 40 miles, over which Key Crude Oil trains operate.
5. AAR and the railroads will develop an inventory of emergency response resources along the routes over which Key Crude Oil Trains operate.
6. Railroads are to agree to jointly fund $5 million for training emergency responders to rail accidents involving crude oil shipments.
1. Effective March 25, 2014, one additional internal rail test (i.e. ultrasonic testing) will be conducted each year, and at least two track geometry inspections per year, on track over which crude traffic runs.
2. Route analysis requirements under 49 CFR 171.820(c) will apply to trains transporting 20 or more loaded tank cars carrying petroleum crude oil, which are to be termed "Key Crude Oil Trains."
3. Key Crude Oil Trains with at least one USDOT 111 type tank car, not meeting AAR Circular CPC-1232 requirements, will be restricted to 40 mph, effective July 1, 2014 or before.
4. By July 1, 2014 the participating railroads will have installed wayside defect detectors to detect overheated bearings at intervals of 40 miles, over which Key Crude Oil trains operate.
5. AAR and the railroads will develop an inventory of emergency response resources along the routes over which Key Crude Oil Trains operate.
6. Railroads are to agree to jointly fund $5 million for training emergency responders to rail accidents involving crude oil shipments.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
2013 Year in Review from Transportation Law Today
2013 will likely be remembered for several significant transportation events, including the Lac Megantic and Metro North rail accidents. As I write today on New Year's Eve an active fire from a train crash and derailment involving crude oil is taking place in Casselton, North Dakota (here is the NTSB's initial press release). The event in South Dakota highlights other major trends from 2013: positive train control and the carriage of crude oil by rail. Finally, a review of 2013 would not be complete without a mention of the regulatory and political environment, significantly because some-what bi-partisan WRRDA bill (which many had great hopes of passage in 2013), will wait until 2014.
MAJOR RAIL ACCIDENTS
The June 2013 accident which destroyed a significant portion of the town of Lac Megantic, Quebec, and claimed over 40 lives, spurred quick action by Canada's rail regulator, and reciprocal action by the FRA. My prior posts explained some of those actions here, and here.
Following Lac Megantic efforts were made to address the classification of crude oil carried by rail, which may again gain more attention given the on-going situation in North Dakota. Crew size was another issue in Lac Megantic, which the regulators also addressed in the context of securing haz mat trains.
The December 1 Metro-North accident in New York city also raised crew size questions, as well as positive train control implementation. See my prior post here.
Although neither the Lac Megantic nor Metro-North accidents have had their investigations concluded, information released indicates likely causes: failure to secure the train on a grade (Lac Megantic), and crew error in Metro-North. Coming in 2014 will be the Rail Safety Advisory Committee recommendations following Lac Megantic, and possibly, action on the Commuter Rail Passenger Safety Act proposed shortly after the Metro-North accident.
POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL
The state of Positive Train Control, and the current 2015 deadline for implementation, will continue to be a hot topic in the coming year. Even though the GAO acknowledged that many railroads could not meet the 2015 deadline, it seems unlikely any wholesale moving of the deadline will occur given recent high profile train accidents. My best prediction is that some case by case relief for portions of PTC systems or tracks may be granted in an effort to get operational as much as possible by 2015.
CRUDE BY RAIL
I expect growing regulatory and public attention to crude by rail shipments, again highlighted by what is currently happening in North Dakota. Crude by Rail, as with Haz Mat by rail, is clearly a safe mode of transport given the huge volumes moved without incident. However, when accidents occur they tend to be memorable given the product being moved. On-going efforts from the RSAC on operational issues, as well as a renewed focus on tank car safety standards will certainly continue.
WRRDA I HARDLY KNEW YA
Now to the blue and brown water worlds... the continuing fate of the now-termed WRRDA bill and its path through a divided congress will continue into 2014. The bill's remedy for the monumentally over-budget Olmstead Lock and Dam project, aka the "Kentucky Kickback" seems to have survived some initial hype when the deal emerged as part of the government shut-down end. Both houses of Congress have appointed conferees to iron out differences between the Senate bill passed in May 2013, and the later house bill.
Is WRRDA an example of a deeply divided congress prioritizing infrastructure investment? Perhaps, but it also may be low hanging fruit in the sense that WRRDA is what could be accomplished in a bi-partisan way with relatively little controversy. In any event, the bill has yet to be passed by congress, which is likely to happen in early 2014.
Thanks to our readers and best wishes to all for safe and joyful New Year in 2014.
- Paul J. Loftus, December 31, 2013
MAJOR RAIL ACCIDENTS
The June 2013 accident which destroyed a significant portion of the town of Lac Megantic, Quebec, and claimed over 40 lives, spurred quick action by Canada's rail regulator, and reciprocal action by the FRA. My prior posts explained some of those actions here, and here.
Following Lac Megantic efforts were made to address the classification of crude oil carried by rail, which may again gain more attention given the on-going situation in North Dakota. Crew size was another issue in Lac Megantic, which the regulators also addressed in the context of securing haz mat trains.
The December 1 Metro-North accident in New York city also raised crew size questions, as well as positive train control implementation. See my prior post here.
Although neither the Lac Megantic nor Metro-North accidents have had their investigations concluded, information released indicates likely causes: failure to secure the train on a grade (Lac Megantic), and crew error in Metro-North. Coming in 2014 will be the Rail Safety Advisory Committee recommendations following Lac Megantic, and possibly, action on the Commuter Rail Passenger Safety Act proposed shortly after the Metro-North accident.
POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL
The state of Positive Train Control, and the current 2015 deadline for implementation, will continue to be a hot topic in the coming year. Even though the GAO acknowledged that many railroads could not meet the 2015 deadline, it seems unlikely any wholesale moving of the deadline will occur given recent high profile train accidents. My best prediction is that some case by case relief for portions of PTC systems or tracks may be granted in an effort to get operational as much as possible by 2015.
CRUDE BY RAIL
I expect growing regulatory and public attention to crude by rail shipments, again highlighted by what is currently happening in North Dakota. Crude by Rail, as with Haz Mat by rail, is clearly a safe mode of transport given the huge volumes moved without incident. However, when accidents occur they tend to be memorable given the product being moved. On-going efforts from the RSAC on operational issues, as well as a renewed focus on tank car safety standards will certainly continue.
WRRDA I HARDLY KNEW YA
Now to the blue and brown water worlds... the continuing fate of the now-termed WRRDA bill and its path through a divided congress will continue into 2014. The bill's remedy for the monumentally over-budget Olmstead Lock and Dam project, aka the "Kentucky Kickback" seems to have survived some initial hype when the deal emerged as part of the government shut-down end. Both houses of Congress have appointed conferees to iron out differences between the Senate bill passed in May 2013, and the later house bill.
Is WRRDA an example of a deeply divided congress prioritizing infrastructure investment? Perhaps, but it also may be low hanging fruit in the sense that WRRDA is what could be accomplished in a bi-partisan way with relatively little controversy. In any event, the bill has yet to be passed by congress, which is likely to happen in early 2014.
Thanks to our readers and best wishes to all for safe and joyful New Year in 2014.
- Paul J. Loftus, December 31, 2013
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Rail Associations Call for Stricter Tank Car Standards
Two industry associations representing virtually all North American Railroads have called for the USDOT's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to require tank cars carrying flammable liquids be built to more stringent standards, or be upgraded for existing tank cars. The Association of American Railroads (AAR), and the American Shortline and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), jointly tendered comments to the PHMSA today. A copy of the joint filing is attached here.
Despite the excellent overall safety record of haz mat transport by rail, the Associations cited the recent Lac Megantic catastrophe as motivation for the industry to reevaluate tank car standards, which in fact had been increased just in 2011. Among the proposals AAR and ASLRRA make are to require newly built tank cars carrying flammable liquids to have steel jackets around the tank car, thermal protection, full car-height head shields, and high flow capacity pressure release valves. In addition to newly built cars, the comments call for the retrofit of cars built since 2011, and before, to comply with any new construction standards, and to phase out older cars that cannot be retrofitted.
The PHMSA docket at issue is PHMSA-2012-0082 - "Hazardous Materials: Rail Petitions and Recommendations to Improve the Safety of Rail Tank Car Transportation."
Despite the excellent overall safety record of haz mat transport by rail, the Associations cited the recent Lac Megantic catastrophe as motivation for the industry to reevaluate tank car standards, which in fact had been increased just in 2011. Among the proposals AAR and ASLRRA make are to require newly built tank cars carrying flammable liquids to have steel jackets around the tank car, thermal protection, full car-height head shields, and high flow capacity pressure release valves. In addition to newly built cars, the comments call for the retrofit of cars built since 2011, and before, to comply with any new construction standards, and to phase out older cars that cannot be retrofitted.
The PHMSA docket at issue is PHMSA-2012-0082 - "Hazardous Materials: Rail Petitions and Recommendations to Improve the Safety of Rail Tank Car Transportation."
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