Another day, another
oil train derailment:
The train, heading to eastern Canada from Alberta, derailed shortly before midnight about 80 kilometres south of Timmins, Ont., a CN spokesman said. Canada's largest rail operator said 29 of 100 cars were involved and seven had caught fire.
An unknown amount of oil spilled into the snow at the site of the derailment.
"The derailment occurred in a remote wooded area and there are no reports of injuries. There is a fire at the scene," Patrick Waldron said in an email early Sunday.
The derailment had repercussions for
Canada's railways, as the main line is closed for at least 24 hours:
The Canadian National derailment may impede crude shipments to eastern Canada, where about two-thirds of the country’s refining capacity is located, according to Canadian Fuels Association data. The rail network also links up with lines extending down into the U.S. Midwest and Gulf Coast. The typical rail car carries about 700 barrels of oil, according to data posted on BNSF Railway Co website.
Stay tuned for word on the environmental impact of the derailment. As we've noted before, 2014 saw a
record number of oil train spills and continued to expose the antiquated tanker cars used in oil shipments.