Coal, Crude By Rail, Oil industry subsidies, Pacific Northwest

Oregon Approves Subsidy For Oil Transport, Not Coal

Repost from Northwest Public Radio

Oregon Approves Subsidy For Oil Transport, Not Coal

By Tony Schick, August 22, 2014

The Oregon Transportation Commission voted Friday to deny funding for controversial coal exports but approved subsidies that will allow more oil trains to travel along the Columbia River.

The Oregon Transportation Commission Friday voted to deny funding for controversial coal exports but approved subsidies that will allow more oil trains to travel along the Columbia River. Credit McD22 / Flickr
The subsidies were part of a $42 million package of transportation grants using money from the state’s lottery. Only one project was denied: $2 million for the Port of St. Helens to expand a dock for exporting coal.

The coal would have come by train from Wyoming to eastern Oregon, and from there it would have been barged down the Columbia. That project was denied a crucial permit this week, but the transportation commission did approve $5 million for projects that benefit oil by rail.

Regna Merritt of Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility said she hoped concerns about oil train explosions would have swayed the commission.

“The health and safety issues were taken quite seriously by dozens of elected officials, and we wish that their concerns had been taken more seriously by the commission,” Merritt said.

One grant gives $3 million for improvements on a rail line through Rainier, making it safer and allowing for more oil trains. An additional $2 million will help expand a dock where the oil from North Dakota is transferred onto ships bound for West Coast refineries.

The port said the expansions have long-term benefits beyond shipping fossil fuels.

Rail accidents

5 train crashes in 1 day

Google: “Train Crash” results on Monday, August 25

By Roger Straw, The Benicia Independent, August 25, 2014

Keeping up with the news here at the Benicia Independent sometimes requires a Google search.  Typically, I will use a search string such as “oil train derail” and limit the search to news during the past 24 hours.

Today, reflecting on the fact that I heard about the head-on freight train crash in Arkansas 5 days after it happened, by word of mouth no less (!), I wondered what would happen if I Googled a simpler string: “train crash.”

I was surprised, and a little shocked at the result: in the last 24 hours, news sources picked up on 5 train crashes in the U.S., all today.  And it’s only 5:30pm PST.  Google also displayed a news story on a train crash that happened two days ago, and a near-accident in New York City.

Could this have been a typical news day?   (See the Google links below.)

Five U.S. train crash stories in a single day:

WBXH–8 hours ago
Police are investigating a bizarre crash involving a train and a car in which … Police say the three occupants of the vehicle ran off after the collision with the train, …

Two more stories, on a RECENT train crash and a near-catastrophic mixup in New York City earlier this month:

AMTRAK, Capitol Corridor, Earthquake, Union Pacific Railroad

Napa earthquake shuts down multiple rail services

Repost from CBS Bay Area KPIX5

Strong Napa Quake Stops Multiple Rail Services Through Bay Area

by Brandon Mercer, August 24, 2014
Amtrak Train at Crossing
An Amtrak train at a railroad crossing. (CBS)

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — The 6.0 magnitude quake Sunday morning in Napa County triggered multiple shutdowns of rail services throughout the Bay Area, including the cancellation of ACE train special Levi’s Stadium service and suspension of Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor service from Roseville to San Jose while track and bridges are inspected.

BART trains are running on normal schedules as is Caltrain service on the peninsula. Caltrains cancelled one train because of logistical issues, but services is running, though with delays.

Amtrak reports on Twitter that Union Pacific is inspecting the track right now.

ACE posted this statement on its website this morning:

Due to the earthquake in Napa, Union Pacific Railroad has notified all trains whom utilize their tracks for transportation in the area to not run trains. The ACE train to Levi’s Stadium has been cancelled due to this unforeseen issue. We apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused, however public safety is of the utmost importance.

Refunds will be issued to all ticket holders for today’s train to Levi’s Stadium. Ticket holders will receive an email with more details soon