August 17, 2005 - Don't derail Soto's railroad bill

Don't derail Soto's railroad bill

News Editorial
Whittier Daily News

Wednesday, August 17, 2005 - TRAIN derailments are a frightening event, even when nobody's hurt and no toxic chemicals are released. When trains jump the tracks, people automatically get jumpy. And confusion and panic are a natural result when people aren't prepared ahead of time.

Thankfully, after a derailment April 4 in San Bernardino of a Union Pacific train carrying 60 tons of liquid chlorine and unknown amounts of liquid propane and fuel additives, there were no injuries and no fatalities.

Authorities were successful in evacuating 500 people from nearby homes and a mobile home park after 13 rail cars skipped the tracks. Officials say no chlorine leaked. Yet some people still are reeling at the accident that took them from their homes and gave them a scare.

Likewise, a series of train accidents over the past year have left residents of the Whittier area shaken. Cracked rail joints caused a Union Pacific train to derail last October, resulting in the evacuation of 200 homes in North Whittier and $2.3 million in damage. Train cars jumped the tracks and littered back yards with debris; one boxcar plunged through a nearby roof.

The National Transportation Safety Board estimated 5,000 gallons of fuel spilled when the train's fuel tanks ruptured.

Considering the volume of trains and the amounts and types of toxic, hazardous, corrosive and even explosive materials carried by freight trains passing through residential areas of Whittier and the San Gabriel Valley on a regular basis, more needs to be done to prepare residents for such potentially lethal events.

On any given day, homes, schools and businesses are put at risk by the hazardous cargo driven through on the rails. So, it's best to plan ahead.

A bill by state Sen. Nell Soto, D-Pomona, would require rail companies to foot the bill for measures communities take to get ready for a rail disaster.

Under Soto's SB 351, communities would be able to charge rail companies a fee to offset the cost of creating evacuation plans and conducting disaster drills in neighborhoods where trains pass through.

Rail safety is something for which railroads should be responsible. It is unfair to expect communities, already hard hit by a lack of funds, to have to come up with the funds on their own.

Union Pacific officials say they work closely with emergency responders and help create emergency response plans at no charge to communities.

While we respect those efforts, we encourage passage of Soto's bill to make sure it really is the railroads that are required to pay the costs of alerting communities what to do in case of a train wreck.

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Don't derail Soto's railroad bill


News Editorial Whittier Daily News Wednesday, August 17, 2005 - TRAIN derailments are a frightening event, even when nobody's hurt and no toxic chemicals are released. When trains jump the tracks, people automatically get jumpy. And confusion and panic are a natural result when people aren't prepared ahead of time. Thankfully, after a derailment April 4 in San Bernardino of a Union Pacific train carrying 60 tons of liquid chlorine and unknown amounts of liquid propane and fuel additives, there were no injuries and no fatalities. Authorities were successful in evacuating 500 people from nearby homes and a mobile home park after 13 rail cars skipped the tracks. Officials say no chlorine leaked. Yet some people still are reeling at the accident that took them from their homes and gave them a scare. Likewise, a series of train accidents over the past year have left residents of the Whittier area shaken. Cracked rail joints caused a Union Pacific train to derail last October, resulting in the evacuation of 200 homes in North Whittier and $2.3 million in damage. Train cars jumped the tracks and littered back yards with debris; one boxcar plunged through a nearby roof. The National Transportation Safety Board estimated 5,000 gallons of fuel spilled when the train's fuel tanks ruptured. Considering the volume of trains and the amounts and types of toxic, hazardous, corrosive and even explosive materials carried by freight trains passing through residential areas of Whittier and the San Gabriel Valley on a regular basis, more needs to be done to prepare residents for such potentially lethal events. On any given day, homes, schools and businesses are put at risk by the hazardous cargo driven through on the rails. So, it's best to plan ahead. A bill by state Sen. Nell Soto, D-Pomona, would require rail companies to foot the bill for measures communities take to get ready for a rail disaster. Under Soto's SB 351, communities would be able to charge rail companies a fee to offset the cost of creating evacuation plans and conducting disaster drills in neighborhoods where trains pass through. Rail safety is something for which railroads should be responsible. It is unfair to expect communities, already hard hit by a lack of funds, to have to come up with the funds on their own. Union Pacific officials say they work closely with emergency responders and help create emergency response plans at no charge to communities. While we respect those efforts, we encourage passage of Soto's bill to make sure it really is the railroads that are required to pay the costs of alerting communities what to do in case of a train wreck.
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