Canada tightens rail laws after Lac-Megantic crash (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

The Canadian government has issued an emergency directive toughening up rail regulations after a deadly accident in Quebec earlier this month.

Transport Canada said that any train carrying dangerous goods must have at least two operators and must not be left unattended on a main track.

A runaway train carrying oil derailed in the town of Lac-Megantic on 6 July and exploded, killing some 47 people.

An engineer had parked the train for the night uphill from the small town.

The driverless train, consisting of five locomotives and 72 tanker cars full of crude oil, accelerated into the centre of the lakeside town where it derailed.
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more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23429015




*SIGH* Better late than never. Unless you're one of the victims. Or one of the survivors. Or etc. etc.

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. This was long overdue.

It's too bad it took a tragedy to wake them up.

[laundry_queen]

3. Yep. That sad part is these recommendations were made years and years ago

after other derailments and they were never implemented. Although - the 2-engineer rule has been mostly implemented by the major rail companies in Canada within their own companies (CN and CP). It was only 1 or 2 small companies that even had permission to operate in this manner.

In other news - MOST of the oil on the train escaped and the ecological disaster is worse than expected. Ugh.

[PDJane]

2. Too little, too late. Unfortunately, suing the company is a waste of time.

It's a shell; there are not enough assets to cover the damage. They were running with one engineer because they were doing things as cheaply as possible.

[House of Roberts]

4. Nothing about increasing liability insurance?

So they can still roll right through populated areas without adequate coverage?

[PDJane]

5. Apparently...........