The Wall Street Journal quotes Global Energy Center Distinguished Senior Fellow Cynthia Quarterman on the recent oil train derailments in the United States and Canada despite newer and sturdier railroad tanker cars:
Cynthia Quarterman, a former director of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration who stepped down last October, said the recent incidents “confirm that the CPC-1232 just doesn’t cut it.”
Tanker-car improvements alone won’t be enough to reduce overall risk, she added. “The crashworthiness of the tank cars does need to be raised, but that’s not enough. There needs to be a comprehensive solution, including better brakes to help minimize pileups.”