Written by: Stuart Chirls, Senior Editor A broken axle led to a collision between two BNSF Railway trains that touched off a crude oil spill and fire, a National Transportation Safety Board probe has found. A grain train that had derailed near Casselton, N.D., on Dec. 30, 2013 due to a broken axle on one of its cars was hit by another train hauling crude oil on a parallel track, the NTSB said Tuesday. The collision derailed the BNSF oil train, spilling 476,000 gallons of oil from 18 of 20 derailed tank cars that caught fire. There were no serious injuries in the incident. The tank cars were the type DOT-111, which are required to be removed from service by 2029. The NTSB reiterated its recommendation that the cars be pulled from service as quickly as possible. The investigation revealed a void in the broken axle, which had been used previously on another car. At the urging of the NTSB, the Association of American Railroads wants to require testing of secondhand axles. Continue reading...
