Oil train crashes

By Los Angeles Times Staff

Track prob­lems were blamed for 57% of oil train de­rail­ments since 2013, more than double the rate for all types of freight train ac­ci­dents. The Los Angeles Times re­viewed U.S., Ca­na­dian and rail­road in­dustry re­ports and found 31 ac­ci­dents that in­volved oil trains in the most com­pre­hens­ive re­view so far of what is caus­ing these po­ten­tially ex­plos­ive crashes.

DATE LOCATION RR Cause TEMP SPEED SPILL
1/24/2013 Payton, Sask Canadian National Collision 1 37 yes
3/27/2013 Parkers Prairie, MN Canadian Pacific Track 6 40 yes
4/3/2013 White River, Ont. Canadian Pacific Wheel 12 35 yes
5/21/2013 Jansen, Sask Canadian National Collision Unknown Unknown yes
7/5/2013 Lac-Megantic, Quebec Montreal Maine & Atlantic Human Unknown 0 yes
9/11/2013 Calgary, Alberta Canadian Pacific Track 75 Unknown no
10/19/2013 Gainford, Alberta Canadian National Track 24 11 yes
11/7/2013 Aliceville, Alabama Genesse & Wyoming Unknown 32 39 yes
12/1/2013 Aylmer, ND Burlington Northern Sante Fe Collision 20 48 no
12/10/2013 Cheektowaga, NY CSX Track 22 7 no
12/30/2013 Casselton, ND Burlington Northern Sante Fe Wheel -1 42 yes
1/7/2014 Plasterrock, New Brun Canadian National Wheel 3 47 yes
1/19/2014 Philadelphia, PA CSX Track 33 6 no
1/31/2014 New Agusta, MS Illinois Central Track 43 47 yes
2/13/2014 N. Vandergrift, PA Norfolk Southern Track 26 31 yes
2/28/2014 Selkirk, NY CSX Track 10 8 no
4/30/2014 Lynchburg, VA CSX Track 53 23 yes
5/8/2014 Brownwood, TX Burlington Northern Sante Fe Human Unknown 5 no
5/9/2014 LaSalle, CO Union Pacific Track 50 10 yes
5/12/2014 Albany, NY Canadian Pacific Track Unknown Unknown no
5/26/2014 York, ND Burlington Northern Sante Fe Track Unknown 50 no
7/24/2014 Seattle, WA Burlington Northern Sante Fe Wheel 60 5 no
12/13/2014 Joliet, IL Wisc/Cen Human 38 19 no
1/31/2015 S. Philadelphia, PA CSX Track 10 4 no
2/16/2015 Mount Carbon, WV CSX Track 18 33 yes
2/4/2015 Dubuque, IA Canadian Pacific Track 16 24 yes
2/14/2015 Timmins, Ont. Canadian National Track -24 38 yes
3/5/2015 Galena, IL Burlington Northern Sante Fe Wheel 25 23 yes
3/7/2015 Gogama, Ont. Canadian National Track 14 43 yes
5/6/2015 Heimdal, ND Burlington Northern Sante Fe Wheel 40 24 yes
7/16/2015 Culbertson, MT Burlington Northern Sante Fe Unknown Unknown Unknown yes

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Credits: Data based on preliminary and final reports by U.S., Canada and railroad companies.