In a scene reminiscent of the Denzel Washington movie "Unstoppable", but without the heroic ending, an unmanned, 72-car oil train traveled 7 miles to Lac-Mégantic, pop. 6,000, where it derailed, setting off a fireball downtown. 5 fatalities so far.
Ian Austen writes of the devastation to the small, tourist town in Quebec, about 150 miles east of Montreal, caused by the rail explosion around 1:15 a.m. on Saturday, July 06. Why the train, operated by the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway began rolling after it had been parked for the night is unclear. What is clear is that "the scale of the explosion and evacuation already would rank the accident as one of North America's most dramatic rail incidents in recent years", write Carolyn King, David George-Cosh and Alistair MacDonald in the Wall Street Journal.
The explosion sheds light on the safety issues associated with the transition of oil transport from pipeline to "crude-by-rail", and the pending application of TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline to ship oil sands crude from Alberta to Gulf region refineries. While the MM&A oil train carried oil from North Dakota's Williston Basin that had been shipped to Quebec by Canadian Pacific, destined for the Irving Oil Ltd. refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick, the safety concerns are the same. The route would have taken it through Maine.
"An analysis of the pipeline plan for the State Department concluded that if the pipeline was rejected, oil sands producers would instead turn to railways for shipments to the United States", writes Austen.
Speaking in New York in May, (Canadian Prime Minister Stephen) Harper emphasized that the rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline would lead to an increase in oil sands shipments by rail, which he called “more environmentally challenging” than pipelines.
To read a chilling description of the crash when it occurred, Carolyn King and David George-Cosh of the Wall Street Journal interviewed revelers at Lac-Mégantic's Musi-Café, "a popular patio bar near the railroad tracks", who experienced firsthand the early-morning explosion.
Read the full story: Deadly Derailment in Quebec Underlines Oil Debate
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
Philadelphia to invest $2 billion into upgrading city airports as PHL places last in customer satisfaction
Modernizations to Philadelphia's airports will include baggage system upgrades and a new automated parking garage guidance system.
The LA housing policies making developers turn away from the city
Despite LA’s housing shortage, developers say the city’s "mansion-tax" and pandemic-era policies make it an unappealing place to build housing.
New density bill would require 7 California cities to establish regional transit hubs
The bill would also require major cities in California to permit high-rise residential buildings.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello