Just curious to see what happened typing in train derailment and news:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/train-carrying-petroleum-cr...

Cars on a CPR train carrying flammable petroleum products derailed in Calgary in September, prompting a small evacuation. The cars did not leak and no one was hurt. In July, after a massive flood swept through Calgary, six CPR train cars derailed and a bridge partially collapsed. Petroleum products were on board.

In May, five tank cars containing crude oil derailed near Jansen, Sask. One car leaked about 575 barrels of oil. The train belonged to CPR. The company also had a derailment in April in Ontario, spilling 400 barrels of oil. In March, CPR cars derailed and spilled oil in Minnesota. About 24 barrels of oil spilled, after 14 of the train’s 94 cars went off the tracks.

If I was a conspiracy theorist I would say that perhaps the oil pipeline companies might have major shares in the rail industry and are trying to show the public how much safer the pipeline(s) will be.

I suspect lack of maintenance and foolish reliance on technology.

Hi kaythecurler,

Lack of maintenance is definitely part of the problem.  The other bit, foolish reliance, is less on technology and more on human agency.

At present, if the track is in an unsatisfactory state the owner has two options, make the necessary repairs of reduce the speed of the train which costs as much as posting any speed limit sign.  If those speed limits aren't obeyed then there will be problems.

Grace and peace to you.

John

Another one this morning, a CN rail train.

"This morning’s incident occurred along the same tracks as the 13-car derailment near Gainford only two weeks ago. "

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/train-derails-west-of-edmonton-1....

I'd like to compare it to the days before Brian Mulroney privatized almost the whole rail industry. I have a suspicition there's quite a contrast.