The Association of American Railroads (AAR) welcomed on May 1, 2015 the tank car rule released by the Department of Transportation (DOT), which requires enhanced design standards the freight railroads have been advocating for years, but said it was disappointed the rule requires either the use of ECP brakes or imposes a 30 mph speed limit.

Hamberger also questioned how a safety mandate of such magnitude could become a regulation when the negligible ECP simulation analysis the government conducted concluded with the cautionary note, “Given that this is based on a limited simulation set, the results could be a bit optimistic and should be taken with a grain of salt.”

“We have worked cooperatively with the government during this rulemaking process, as our goal has always been to make a safe rail network even safer. We support tougher tank cars and we see many of the rule’s components building on our crude-by-rail safety achievements.”

Hamberger pointed out that freight railroads have on their own volition implemented stepped-up safety practices and protocols for handling and moving crude oil trains, as well as increased emergency training for firefighters and first responders. Last month, the AAR and the American Petroleum Institute announced a new crude-by-rail safety course for first responders offered through the TRANSCAER program.

“The goal of America’s freight railroads remains zero accidents and we will continue doing what we can to prevent accidents from happening and earn the public’s trust and confidence,” Hamberger said.

(Source: AAR)