| Derailments- The number of
freight train derailments around the country has
dramatically increased in recent years.
In 2006, there were nine passenger and freight
derailments in New York City and Long Island. Five of the
six LIRR derailments in 2006 were freight related.
The damage impact of freight derailments is
enormously more devastating to a much larger section of
the surrounding area than derailments of passenger trains.
This is directly related to the weight, speed and
length of freight trains.
Damage areas could be more than a thousand feet in
areas south and north of the track.
This would also worsen based on the likely
hazardous or dangerous cargo. Freight derailments, depending on cargo not only risk homes
and lives, but also permanently damage the local
environment.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
has pledged to investigate all passenger and freight
railroad tracks in New York State - including those in New
York and Long Island. After a thorough review, some of the
freight tracks had hundreds of defects and more than a
dozen violations - the probe was prompted by several
recent freight train derailments across the country. The
agency conducted 60 inspections in New York State
revealing 376 defects and 13 violations. At the request of
Senator Hillary Clinton, the FRA agreed to review all
tracks in New York State.
Donald Nelson, former President of
Metro-North, in his detailed three-month evaluation of the
LIRR, referred to 182 railroad bridges that are “not in
a state of good repair” though still “functional and
safe.” He recommended deploying 30 or more workers to
upgrade and maintain the bridges. |
