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A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 21 december 2018

APNewsBreak: U.S. miscalculated benefits of oil train brakes

By MATTHEW BROWN from those derailments by
Associated Press an estimated $48 million to
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — $117 million, according to
The Trump administration Department of Transporta-
miscalculated potential tion estimates that were left
damages from train derail- out of the administration's
ments when it canceled an final tally.
Obama-era rule requiring Including the omitted ben-
the installation of more ad- efits reduces the net cost of
vanced brakes by railroads the requirement to as low
hauling explosive fuels, The as $63 million under one
Associated Press has found. scenario laid out by the
A government analysis agency.
used by the administration Transportation spokesman
to justify the cancellation Bobby Fraser said the omis-
omitted up to $117 million sion was unintentional and
in estimated future damag- would not have changed
es that could be avoided September's decision to
by using electronic brakes. cancel the electronic
The error could stoke re- brake requirement. Under
newed criticism from sup- the administration's analy-
porters of the rule who say sis, the cost of the brakes
the analysis was biased. would have outweighed
Department of Transpor- the benefits even when
tation officials acknowl- considering estimated
edged the mistake after it In this Nov. 8, 2013 file photo, a tanker train carrying crude oil burns after derailing in western damages from derailments
was discovered by the AP Alabama outside Aliceville, Ala. that were left out of the
during a review of federal Associated Press original findings.
documents, but said it does However, excluding those
not change their decision bec community's down- "These ECP brakes are very analysis that the change potential damages means
not to install the brakes. town. There have been important for oil trains," was prompted in part by the difference between
Safety advocates, trans- other fiery crashes and fuel said Steven Ditmeyer, a rail a reduction in oil train traf- costs and benefits would
portation union leaders spills in Alabama, Oregon, safety expert and former fic in recent years, which have been much narrower.
and Democratic lawmak- Montana, Virginia, West senior official at the Fed- meant there would be few- A 2015 act of Congress
ers oppose the adminis- Virginia, North Dakota and eral Railroad Administra- er derailments. mandated that the De-
tration's decision to kill the Illinois. tion. "It makes a great deal The transport of crude on partment of Transportation
brake rule, which was in- After the brake rule was of sense: All the brakes get U.S. railroads peaked in repeal the braking require-
cluded in a package of rail enacted, lobbyists for the applied immediately, and 2014 when 540,000 tank ment if an analysis showed
safety measures enacted railroad and oil industries there would be fewer cars cars shipped. That fell to more costs than benefits.
in 2015 under President pushed to cancel it, citing in the pileup." about 210,000 carloads last Fraser said a correction to
Barack Obama following the high cost of installing Under Obama, the Trans- year, most of it from the the agency's findings will
dozens of accidents by so-called electronic pneu- portation Department de- Bakken oil patch of North be published to the federal
trains hauling oil and etha- matic brakes and question- termined the brakes would Dakota and Montana, ac- register, but the repeal will
nol in the U.S. and Canada. ing their effectiveness. cost up to $664 million over cording to industry figures. stand.
The deadliest happened Unlike other systems where 20 years and save between But in making their calcu- "With the correction, in all
in Canada in 2013, when brakes are applied sequen- $470 million and $1.1 billion lations, the economists left scenarios costs still out-
an unattended train car- tially along the length of a from accidents that would out the most common type weigh benefits," Fraser said.
rying crude oil rolled down train, electronic pneumatic be avoided. of derailments in which "Therefore, the outcome ...
an incline, came off the brakes, or ECP, work on all The Trump administra- spilled and burning fuel would not have changed."
tracks in the town of Lac- cars simultaneously. That tion reduced the range of causes property damage The Association of Ameri-
Megantic and exploded can reduce the distance benefits to between $131 but no mass casualties, the can Railroads declined
into a massive ball of fire, and time a train needs to million and $374 million. AP found. Equipping fuel comment on the agency's
killing 47 people and oblit- stop, and cause fewer cars Transportation department trains with electronic brakes cost benefit calculations.
erating much of the Que- to derail. economists said in their would reduce damages q