As Norfolk Southern CEO testifies about E. Pal chem disaster, another train derailment.

I am starting to wonder if this is sabotage

Train just aren’t the safest mode for moving liquid products around. But since we stopped allowing pipelines in certain parts of the nation, rail and truck usage has increased. No one will call out politicians.

So first off this isn’t sabotage. Trains derail everyday (most minor in nature) across the entire US rail system. These major derailments get attention as they should much like when a large passenger plane crashes. The NTSB and the FRA will investigate and will work toward safety solutions just like the FAA does for airline incidents.

To the pipeline discussion … So how exactly is that pipeline going to run to every manufacturing location in the US that needs those varying hazardous chemicals for their production process at the exact timeframe that their production processes call for it? Rail time and time again has proven to be the most cost effective and safest manner to move commodities. Don’t believe me ? Look it up. I don’t think people realize the shear amount of different commodities that are moved via rail. Absolutely impossible to have pipelines dedicated for every one of these hazardous commodities at the rates, location and timing that the users of these commodities need them. The number of pipeline terminals and trucks needed to replace what railcars would be staggering. You really don’t want that many more trucks on the highways.

The scheduling, loading, movement, delivery and empty return of rail cars across America is actually the envy of the world. Much like the passenger trains moving across Europe and Asia are the envy of the world. If tomorrow you could magically swap the passenger trains in Europe with the freight train capabilities here in the US our cost of goods would increase to unbelievable levels and would absolutely destroy our economy.

All modes of transport play an important role. Each had its own merits and problems. These issues each had will be worked on and it will continue to get better.

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So how exactly is that pipeline going to run to every manufacturing location in the US that needs those varying hazardous chemicals for their production process at the exact timeframe that their production processes call for it?

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Direct feed is far better for production and safety than rail or truck, the timeframe favors production with a pipeline. Typically it's Monomers, like VCM, Butadiene, Ethylene, Styrene or other double bonded liquids that are best ran through a pipeline, not ALL the chemicals needed for chemical manufacturing would have their own pipe.
Chemical plants consider the location of building greenfield projects based on proximity to monomer pipelines or being able to run a pipeline when evaluating projects. There are other factors clearly, but this is one of them.

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I am starting to wonder if this is sabotage

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Can’t stand it, you know they planned it.

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Direct feed is far better for production and safety than rail or truck, the timeframe favors production with a pipeline.

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I don’t dispute this at all. But the number of manufacturers that have access to this capability is small compared to the number that don’t have this option. Everyone seems to think of behemoth companies like ExxonMobil or Dow and they very much have pipeline capabilities but there are vast numbers of manufacturers that have zero access to these dedicated pipelines. Rail or truck are their only option.

You really have no clue as to what the word derailment means. It can mean what you saw in Ohio and the way down to one railcar wheel set coming off the rail in which it rides. So yes this happens everyday across all sizes of railroads and inside of manufacturing locations. There are several companies scattered across the US where their only function is to put this cars back in the rail regardless of the size of the incident. They make damn fine cash doing this.

And oh by the way use the google machine to search for this info….literally thousands per year across the US rail network. Do your research.

Not many is my assumption but that is like comparing cruise ship accidents to river barge accidents two things that just are not very comparable.

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ExxonMobil or Dow and they very much have pipeline capabilities but there are vast numbers of manufacturers that have zero access to these dedicated pipelines. Rail or truck are their only option.

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Wouldn’t it be more productive if chemicals didn’t have to travel along long rail lines and companies created smaller regional operations so that chemical needs don’t have to go cross country in 50 year old steel tank with bad wheel bearings on 100 year old tracks.

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Wouldn’t it be more productive if chemicals didn’t have to travel along long rail lines and companies created smaller regional operations so that chemical needs don’t have to go cross country in 50 year old steel tank with bad wheel bearings on 100 year old tracks.

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Well sure. You got the money for that?