FARGO, N.D. (AP) - North Dakota’s two senators took turns peppering two BNSF executives Saturday on the railroad company’s plans to prevent another train derailment like last month’s crash and fire near Casselton.
The Dec. 30 collision that happened when a train carrying soybeans derailed and caused a train carrying crude oil to derail one mile west of Casselton caused massive explosions and left a cloud over the city. There were no injuries, but residents were asked to evacuate.
North Dakota Sens. Heidi Heitkamp, a Democrat, and John Hoeven, a Republican, presided over a meeting with top state and local political leaders in Fargo, where the mayor says residents are nervous about the possibility of a derailment on the tracks that pass through the city of more than 100,000 people.
After introductory remarks around the table, including some from BNSF Executive Vice President Roger Nober, Heitkamp started the exchange by pointing out that the derailment was the fourth in that area in the last nine years. Casselton is about 30 miles west of Fargo.
“I think the point here is that when you have four derailments in a short period of time, maybe that piece of track needs a little extra attention, not what is in fact just focused on a system-wide analysis,” Heitkamp said.
Hoeven added, “That would be my question. Given the number of derailments in that area, what special actions are you taking to make sure you address it?”
Dave Freeman, BNSF’s vice president of transportation, said the railroad, which he described as often exceeding safety standards set by the Federal Railroad Administration, plans to put extra inspectors in the area of the Casselton derailment.
“This line is one of the two main lines of our entire system,” Nober said. “It is among the most heavily inspected and maintained railroads in the entire country.”
The BNSF executives said they couldn’t talk in detail about the incident because of the ongoing National Transportation Safety Board investigation. That came after questions about the proximity of the two trains and the condition of the grain train.
Besides inspections, officials at Saturday’s meeting talked about producing safer tank cars, retrofitting older tank cars, employing other equipment and technology, and speed limits. Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker said he believes the solution is for trains to slow down.
“Our residents in our community are extremely concerned and they should be,” Walaker said.
North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple, a Casselton native, said he would support the state’s mayors in their attempts to address train speeds and the passing of trains in city limits.
“It’s a big topic. I know that speed alone is not the answer. Passing protocols alone is not the answer,” Dalrymple said. “But I’m sure we can improve safety by having those discussions. My feeling today is we probably need to do that on a community-by-community basis.”
Nober said BNSF feels it has an obligation to the communities and promised that the company would return for a future meeting with people in Casselton.
“It’s terribly disappointing to us. I mean, it’s horrible when something happens like it did in Casselton,” he said.
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