Union Pacific Faulted in Crude Oil Train Derailment -- Update

By Betsy Morris 

The Federal Railroad Administration said it has made a preliminary determination that the derailment of a crude oil train in Oregon earlier this month resulted from the failure of Union Pacific Corp. to maintain its track.

The FRA said its preliminary investigation of the accident that occurred on June 3 near Mosier, Ore., found specifically that the derailment was caused by broken bolts that eventually allowed the rails to be pushed outward as trains moved across them. The findings were made in what the FRA said was a "preliminary factual findings report."

The report said the train was traveling at about 25 miles an hour, which was within the speed limit. A total of 16 tank cars derailed, it said. During the derailment, one tank car was punctured, which led to a fire of four tank cars that burned for about 14 hours, the FRA report said.

The FRA said that the type of track bolts that were broken are detectable by walking inspection and, among other things, uneven wear of the track.

Union Pacific said in a statement that its rail fastening system "has an outstanding history of safety and reliability." The railroad said that, since the Oregon derailment earlier this month, it is enhancing its regular track inspection process. As part of its ongoing track renewal program, it is replacing bolts in the type of fastener system in the track with rail spikes "which provide higher levels of fault detectability in standard inspection processes."

The train was transporting Bakken Crude oil through the scenic Columbia River Gorge when it derailed, caught fire and prompted the shutdown of Interstate 84 and the evacuation of a local school, federal and local officials said. It had originated in New Town, N.D., and was destined for Tacoma, Wash., and consisted of three locomotives, two buffer cars and 94 tank cars, according to the FRA report.

Write to Betsy Morris at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 23, 2016 15:46 ET (19:46 GMT)

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