Tag Archives: Railways in disrepair

Transportation

Skeena Bulkley MP Bachrach welcomes release of rail safety report

By Kaitlyn Bailey,  Prince Rupert Northern View, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A rail safety report providing 33 recommendations was released by the House of Commons Transport Committee on June 2.

The report voices the frustrations felt by residents and leaders in Northwest B.C. with railway companies that ship increasing volumes of traffic through their communities, such as Prince Rupert and Port Edward, as well as detailing concerns with conditions and safety standards for rail line workers.

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Finances, Transportation

Should We Reopen Island Rail?

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The Island Railway suspended operations on March 18, 2011, due to safety concerns about the condition of the tracks. Plans to reopen the line continue to this day. In fact, one of the items of correspondence at the  Strathcona Regional District’s May 13th Board Meeting was an email from Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog.

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Transportation

Americas’ Neglected Bridges & Exploding Oil Trains

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By Roy L Hales

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During the past seven years, the amount of oil by rail traffic to the coast has increased over 5,000%. This has resulted in a corresponding surge in the number of oil train derailments, spills, fires, and explosions. There was more oil spilled from trains in 2013, alone,  than the previous four decades. As some of these incidents were caused by misalignment or failure of railroad bridges, a grassroots co-alition of Riverkeeper, ForestEthics, and 22 Waterkeeper organizations inspected 250 railway crossings. The result is a shocking report, on Americas’ neglected bridges & exploding oil trains.

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