NTSB Report on North Dakota Derailment Renews Push to Replace Aging Tank Cars
The National Transportation Safety Board released a final report Thursday on a July 2024 derailment near Bordulac, North Dakota, in which methanol and anhydrous ammonia spilled and caught fire, highlighting the dangers of aging DOT-111 tank cars. The NTSB has urged replacement of these leak-prone cars for decades, citing their role in major disasters including the 2013 Lac Megantic derailment that killed 47 people and the 2023 East Palestine incident. Congress has mandated replacement of DOT-111 cars for flammable liquids by 2029, though they may continue to be used for other hazardous materials.
The NTSB released its final report Thursday on a July 5, 2024 derailment of a CPKC train near Bordulac, North Dakota, in which 29 of 151 cars derailed after a culvert collapse broke a rail. The accident resulted in methanol spilling from five tank cars and catching fire, followed by breaches in three anhydrous ammonia tank cars. While the culvert failure was the immediate cause, the NTSB emphasized that the use of aging DOT-111 tank cars significantly worsened the disaster's impact. The agency has recommended eliminating these cars for hazardous materials since the 1990s, citing their history in major incidents including the 2013 Lac Megantic derailment and the 2023 East Palestine derailment. Congress mandated replacement of DOT-111 cars for flammable liquids by 2029, though they may continue to be used for other hazardous materials. The NTSB also recommended improved train assembly practices to separate flammable and toxic chemicals, and more thorough culvert inspections.
What different sources said
- Washington TimesRight
NTSB says fiery 2024 North Dakota derailment proves the need to replace flawed tank cars
- The IndependentLeft
NTSB says fiery 2024 North Dakota derailment proves the need to replace flawed tank cars
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