Portland, OR: This morning, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) released its preliminary factual findings report on the June 3 derailment of a Union Pacific unit oil train at Mosier, OR. The FRA’s investigation determined the derailment was caused by broken lag bolts leading to wide track gauge.
According to FRA’s findings, “multiple lag bolts in this section of Union Pacific track were broken and sheared, leading to tie plates loosening from ties. The loosened tie plates allowed for the rails to be pushed outwards as trains moved across them, eventually resulting in an area of wide gauge, leading to the derailment.”
Further, FRA’s preliminary determination is that Union Pacific’s “failure to maintain its track and track equipment resulted in the derailment.”
(Read
FRA’s summary and the
full preliminary report on the Mosier derailment.)
This report comes on the heels of yesterday announcement by Union Pacific that it would resume transporting volatile Bakken crude oil through the Columbia River Gorge this week contrary to requests for a moratorium on oil trains by members of the Oregon congressional delegation, Governor Kate Brown of Oregon, and the Columbia River Gorge Commission. Elected officials have called on FRA to halt the transport of oil by rail through the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area until safety issues are properly identified and addressed.
“This is a stinging indictment from a government agency that doesn't typically call out the railroad companies. Union Pacific's assurances of safety have just been derailed,” said Kevin Gorman, Executive Director of Friends of the Columbia Gorge. “We knew that Bakken oil is unsafe at any speed and now we discover the tracks are, too. We need to end the shipment of Bakken oil through the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area."
Union Pacific also announced yesterday that it is postponing a public hearing on its proposed rail expansion around the town of Mosier from July 5 to Sept. 6. The proposed four miles of new double track would allow more oil trains to move at higher speeds through the Columbia River Gorge and the town of Mosier. The National Scenic Area permit application is under review by Wasco County. Friends provided detailed comments on the application, cited numerous violations of the National Scenic Area Act, and called for the project to be denied.
And to round out a trying week for Union Pacific, on Tuesday night the railroad spilled up to 1,500 gallons of diesel fuel near Bridal Veil in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. According to Union Pacific, the spill was caused by a faulty fuel filter ring.
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Oil train
Oil terminal
Tesoro
Mosier
Derailment
Union Pacific
Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF)
