Several bills related to rail safety are making their way through the Minnesota legislature, triggered by December's Casselton, North Dakota, oil train explosion on the BNSF line.
Meanwhile, an incident in Waseca illustrates the problem. Samantha Maranell reports in Train derailment spills grain, closes Waseca streets:
. . . Jedidiah Kalbow said he and his 7-year old daughter were watching a train go by behind their house Monday afternoon, when the rails started to warp and sparks shot from the wheels. They ran from the train but shortly thereafter, eight train cars derailed with one spilling its contents onto Fifth Street SE in Waseca.
Kalbow said he and his daughter had been waiting for a train to go past their house so he could teach her about staying away from the tracks.
"I was telling her that sometimes trains come off the tracks so if you're up close to them they can be dangerous," said Kalbow in an email. "Sure enough it turned out to be a great learning experience." . . .
. . . While the spilled grain caused quite a mess, Fire Chief Gary Conrath said it could have been worse.
"We're real lucky it wasn't ethanol or hazardous material," he said.
No kidding. Legislative relieft maybe on its way. The Winona Daily News' Nathan Hansen reports in State bill would quadruple rail inspectors:
The bill, a supplement to a larger transportation bill in the Minnesota House, would increase the number of rail inspectors in the state from one to four. Currently that one inspector is responsible for more than 4,000 miles of track in the state, and was a topic of concern when Rep. Tim Walz visited Winona in late February to talk with local officials and first responders about rail safety.
Walz also raised the issues in House Transportation Committee hearings. Legislators are considering other measures. Senator Vicki Jensen's bill to improve communications among emergency responders is advancing, the Strib's David Shaffer reports in Crude oil response measures move rapidly through Legislature.
In Oil disaster preparedness targeted by Minnesota committee, Don Davis reports on other legislation:
The [emergency responder] bill is one of three Hornstein introduced -- with similar ones in the Senate -- reacting to highly publicized train derailments in Quebec and North Dakota last year.
With western North Dakota's Bakken oil field constantly increasing production and Alberta, Canada, oil transportation needs on the upswing, Hornstein said, Minnesota is the "epicenter" of oil transportation. He said both pipelines and railroads are carrying more oil.
A second Hornstein bill requires railroad and pipeline companies to submit plans to prevent oil leaks and how they would respond if leaks occur.
His third bill would add two or three rail inspectors to the one the state now has on staff. It also would provide $5 million to improve safety at railroad crossings used by trains carrying hazardous materials.
Photo: The grain train derailment in Waseca. Don't play on the tracks, kids. Samantha Maranell/Waseca County News.
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