Train derailments have been in the news since February 3, when a Norfolk Southern train carrying dangerous chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. Part of the cargo spilled out of the tank car and caught fire, creating a large cloud of smoke that covered the town. Residents have expressed concern over the long-term health and environmental impacts of the spilled hazardous materials.

An investigation into the accident shows that Norfolk Southern may have been negligent with respect to safety regulations.

The Kingman Daily Miner reported two derailments in Mojave County on the night of March 15th and 16th. The first accident occurred at 8:00 p.m. on March 15, when his eight cars loaded with corn syrup derailed near exit 0 on Interstate 40. No injuries have been reported. The second occurred at 2:00 am near the Kingman Industrial Park. The Northern Arizona Fire Department said the derailed vehicle was empty and contained no hazardous materials. No injuries have been reported.

These derailments occurred on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Main Line between Chicago and Los Angeles.

According to the American Railroad Association, US rail companies invest $20 billion annually in safety improvements and upgrades. Railroads carry hazardous materials that are vital to the nation’s economy, such as fertilizer, ethanol, crude oil, refined petroleum products, and chlorine. They say more than 99.9% of his material reaches its destination without incident, and the U.S. Department of Transportation ranks railroads as the safest means of transporting these materials. increase.

There are many federal regulations regarding railroad safety. In Arizona, inspections for enforcement are handled by the Arizona Corporation Commission.

La Paz County is served by the Arizona & California Railroad, which operates a line from Massey, Arizona, near Wickenburg, to Cadiz, California. A & C connects to Burlington Northern Santa Fe on both ends. Their biggest customer is the Rose Acre Farms egg farm south of Bowes.

A & C is owned by Genesee & Wyoming, one of the nation’s largest rail “shortline” operators. Headquarters are located in Darien, Connecticut.

Since 2020, there have been two derailments at A & C. On March 24, 2022, his eight carriages, dubbed a “mixed” train, jumped over railroad tracks near Rice, California. No one was hurt, but the tracks were closed. how many days

Prior to that, the last derailment at A & C was July 29, 2020. A three-decker car carrier derailed in Big River, California. This car was the last car on the train and remained upright. It was vacant at that time as well. The cause of the accident was determined to be the displacement of the iron rails due to the heat wave at the time. I was not injured.

G & W and the A & C spokesperson Tom Ciuba said he understands why derailments and rail safety have been in the news lately.

“Safety is a core value of the Arizona & California Railroad,” Silva said in an email to Pioneer. “Our employees live directly in the communities we serve and as such we take great care to ensure that they operate safely every day. is important, we inspect and maintain all locomotives, equipment and tracks against regulations administered by the Federal Railway Administration and internal policies that often exceed federal standards. also has a comprehensive emergency response plan that details procedures in the event of a catastrophic incident, which is reviewed regularly, and has contracted an environmental response organization that specializes in incident mitigation. Rail employees are also trained and certified to the requirements of FRA regulations and other regulatory bodies.”

JP Martin of the Arizona Corporation Commission said it is their job to conduct safety inspections. This is required by state law in the Arizona Administrative Code. Most of the regulation comes from the federal government, but Martin said it’s the state’s responsibility to enforce testing.

One of their main concerns is track condition. They inspect the tracks to make sure they are properly aligned and that the railway is keeping them in a safe condition. Martin said it’s a big job because he has over 3,100 miles of trucks in the state.

Martin pointed to desert heat as a contributing factor to the 2020 Big River derailment, which he said was one of their biggest concerns. The metal inside the rail reacts to the heat and expands, which can cause the rail to warp and shift.

“We are constantly testing,” says Martin. “I’m verifying that everything matches.”

Martin said the ACC also conducts unannounced inspections for employee safety issues.

The AAR said on its website that railways transport dangerous goods in tank cars, but that they often do not own these tank cars. They are often owned and maintained by the shipper or car leasing company. This can be seen in Parker’s A&C tanker truck. It bears reporting marks such as “UTLX” and “GATX” to indicate that it is owned and managed by a car leasing company.

“Railways, as general carriers, must carry all cargo, including dangerous goods, properly tendered on reasonable terms,” ​​the AAR said. “The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has indicated that rail remains the safest mode of surface transportation for hazardous materials and therefore supports its decision to continue enforcing this common carrier requirement. ”

For this reason, and to make the transport of dangerous goods safer, AAR said the country’s railways support:

• Additional responsibilities and responsibilities related to the transport of such materials, including the incorporation of necessary safety enhancements, to those who produce, sell or use dangerous goods and to those who benefit from their (transportation by rail) use. share the costs; and
• We ask rail shippers to further enhance the safety of rail transport by fully and accurately disclosing and labeling the transport of dangerous goods.