Don’t Ship Oil by Rail

As this Edmonton Journal article reports, rail companies in North America continue to promote the shipping of various oil products by rail to ease the burden on pipelines.

Although one of the reasons rail companies give for this move on their part is to address some of the recent pipeline spills in North America, the history of and recent skyrocketing increase in derailment accidents means railways are certainly not safer than pipelines when it comes to transporting oil products or other toxic products. Who can forget petroleum spills such as the major CN spill at Wabamun Lake near Edmonton, the CN Ultratrain spill and explosion in Quebec that killed 2 people, and many other CN derailments that have spilled other toxic chemicals onto land and into rivers killing thousands of fish.

See this letter to the Edmonton Journal editor for details.

~ by railroaded on August 24, 2011.