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jili22 casino Over 1,000 Trains Derail Every Year in America. Let’s Bring That Number Down.
The recent freight train derailment and chemical fire in eastern Ohio that left thousands of nearby residents fearing for their health was not a one-off tragedy or a random life-imitating-art manifestation of Don DeLillo’s classic novel “White Noise.”
Instead, it was proof of just how dangerous America’s rail industry has become. The number of derailments has declined since the 1970s, but the United States still has over 1,000 derailments every year. And over the last seven years, the costs from derailments of trains carrying hazardous materials increased.
...while the number of cars carrying
hazardous materials on trains that derailed grew.
Since 1970, the overall number of
train cars derailed each year fell...
7,000
35,000
6,000
30,000
5,000
25,000
4,000
20,000
3,000
15,000
2,000
10,000
1,000
5,000
2020
1980
1970
1990
2000
2010
1980
1970
1990
2000
2010
2020
...while the number of cars carrying hazardous materials on trains that derailed grew.
Since 1970, the overall number of
train cars derailed each year fell...
7,000
35,000
6,000
30,000
5,000
25,000
4,000
20,000
3,000
15,000
2,000
10,000
1,000
5,000
’20
’80
’70
’90
’00
’10
’80
’70
’90
’00
’10
’20
Since 1970, the overall number of
train cars derailed each year fell...
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
’80
’70
’90
’00
’10
’20
...while the number of cars carrying hazardous materials on trains that derailed grew.
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
’20
’80
’70
’90
’00
’10
Source: U.S. Department of TransportationSource: U.S. Department of Transportation
The precise cause of the Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine is still under investigation. But we know it occurred in an industry that tolerates too many preventable derailments and fights too many safety regulations. During the Obama and Trump administrations, the rail industry successfully lobbied against stricter rules for trains carrying flammable chemicals, and against more advanced brakes that experts and the rail industry itself have said could lessen the severity of derailments.
Improving rail safety looked promising about a decade ago, in the wake of rising rates of hazmat train derailments. After a spate of catastrophes — including one in New Jersey involving vinyl chloride, the toxic chemical released and burned in Ohio, and a crude oil train derailment in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, which left 47 people dead — President Barack Obama’s transportation regulators began considering tougher rules for trains carrying hazardous materials. The proposal included measures to require stricter speed limits, stronger rail cars, more advanced brakes and better disclosure to inform state and local officials about the specifics of the hazardous materials passing through their communities.
Number of derailed train cars from 1975 to 2022
Derailments have clustered in northern Ohio and western Pennsylvania
Rail line
PA.
OHIO
Number of derailed cars by county
10k
1k
Number of derailed train cars from 1975 to 2022
Derailments have clustered in northern Ohio and western Pennsylvania
Rail line
PA.
OHIO
Number of derailed cars by county
10k
1k
Number of derailed train cars from 1975 to 2022
Derailments have clustered in northern Ohio and western Pennsylvania
PA.
OHIO
Number of derailed cars by county
10k
1k
Rail line
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation
The fate of the derailed train’s cargo On Sunday, the E.P.A. released a manifest from Norfolk Southern, describing the contents of each derailed train car and what happened to the cargo. Railcar cargo What happened
ENGINES
Diesel locomotives
No damage
CARS 1-22
Unknown / Not in manifest
No damage
HOPPER CAR / ARSX 4145
Polypropylene
Plastic
No damage
HOPPER CAR / BRKX 66738
Polypropylene
Plastic
No damage
Beginning of train derailment
HOPPER CAR / GPLX 75465
Polyethylene
Plastic
Burned
HOPPER CAR / ECUX 860375
Polyethylene
Plastic
Burned
TANK CAR / UTLX 684543
Empty
Residues of petroleum lubricating oil
Railcar destroyed
TANK CAR / TILX 402025
Vinyl chloride
Colorless, flammable and carcinogenic gas used to make plastic
Classified hazardous, burned in controlled release
TANK CAR / OCPX 80235
Vinyl chloride
Colorless, flammable and carcinogenic gas used to make plastic
Classified hazardous, burned in controlled release
TANK CAR / OCPX 80179
Vinyl chloride
Colorless, flammable and carcinogenic gas used to make plastic
Classified hazardous, burned in controlled release
TANK CAR / GATX 95098
Vinyl chloride
Colorless, flammable and carcinogenic gas used to make plastic
Classified hazardous, burned in controlled release
TANK CAR / RACX 51629
Dipropylene glycol
Clear liquid with low toxicity used in industrial manufacturing
Railcar burned, but cargo intact
TANK CAR / LYBX 5191
Propylene glycol
Odorless, non-toxic liquid used to make plastic
Railcar burned, but cargo intact
TANK CAR / RACX 51435
Propylene glycol
Odorless, non-toxic liquid used to make plastic
Mostly spilled
TANK CAR / UTLX 671772
Diethylene glycol
Sweet-tasting, thick and toxic liquid used in many industrial applications
Unknown amount leaked
TANK CAR / SHPX 211226
Triethylene glycol monobutyl ether
Corrosive and combustible solvent that can cause serious eye damage
Classified hazardous, status unknown
HOPPER CAR / TILX 331319
Semolina
Coarse flour used to make pasta
Burned
TANK CAR / DOWX 73168
Ethylhexyl Acrylate
Clear, combustible liquid that can cause skin and lung irritation, used to make paint
Classified hazardous, unknown amount spilled
HOPPER CAR / ROIX 57036
Polyvinyl chloride
Plastic
Burned
HOPPER CAR / NCUX 40057
Polyvinyl chloride
Plastic
Burned
TANK CAR / UTLX 100055
Petroleum lubricating oil
Flammable oil used to lubricate machine parts
Spilled
TANK CAR / XOMX 110664
Petroleum lubricating oil
Flammable oil used to lubricate machine parts
Mostly spilled
TANK CAR / UTLX 684798
Petroleum lubricating oil
Flammable oil used to lubricate machine parts
Railcar burned, may have leaked
TANK CAR / UTLX 671310
Petroleum lubricating oil
Flammable oil used to lubricate machine parts
Railcar burned, unknown amount leaked
TANK CAR / CERX 30072
Propylene glycol
Odorless, non-toxic liquid used to make plastic
Mostly burned
TANK CAR / SHPX 211106
Propylene glycol
Odorless, non-toxic liquid used to make plastic
Railcar burned, but cargo intact
TANK CAR / NATX 231335
Diethylene glycol
Sweet-tasting, thick and toxic liquid used in many industrial applications
Burned
TANK CAR / UTLX 671913
Diethylene glycol
Sweet-tasting, thick and toxic liquid used in many industrial applications
Railcar burned, unknown amount spilled
TANK CAR / NATX 35844
Isobutylene
Colorless, highly flammable gas used to make aviation gasoline
Classified hazardous, railcar burned but cargo intact
TANK CAR / UTLX 205907
Butyl acrylates
Flammable liquid that can irritate the skin and eyes, used to make paint
Classified hazardous, spilled and burned
TANK CAR / UTLX 661296
Oil
Petroleum oil
Railcar burned, small amount leaked
TANK CAR / COCX 287059
Fuel additives
Generally flammable and toxic chemicals, used to modify gasoline
Railcar burned, but cargo intact
HOPPER CAR / ROIX 59396
Polyvinyl chloride
Plastic
Burned
HOPPER CAR / ROIX 57782
Polyvinyl chloride
Plastic
Burned
TANK CAR / OCPX 80370
Vinyl chloride
Colorless, flammable and carcinogenic gas used to make plastic
Classified hazardous, burned in controlled release
BOXCAR / TBOX 640019
Cotton balls
Burned
BOXCAR / BKTY 152621
Steel sheets
Burned
BOXCAR / LINX 7278
Frozen vegetables
Burned
TANK CAR / DPRX 259013
Benzene
Clear, flammable and carcinogenic liquid, used to make plastic
Classified hazardous, railcar burned but cargo intact
TANK CAR / DPRX 258671
Benzene
Clear, flammable and carcinogenic liquid, used to make plastic
Classified hazardous, railcar burned but cargo intact
TANK CAR / XOMX 110236
Paraffin wax
Flammable, liquid wax used for lubrication and making candles
Railcar burned, but cargo intact
HOPPER CAR / ELTX 7458
Flakes and powder
Uncertain
Burned
End of derailment
HOPPER CAR / ELTX 3421
Flakes and powder
Uncertain
Railcar damaged
HOPPER CAR / NDYX 892049
Hydraulic cement
Used to make waterproof mortar or mixed with gravel to make concrete
No damage
AUTO CARRIER / TTGX 953815
Cars
Passenger vehicles
No damage
CARS 66-74
Malt liquors
Beer
No damage
Sources: Norfolk Southern; Environmental Protection Agency; National Institutes of Health
Note: The roughly 75 train cars at the end of the train were not included in the manifest.
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