- Trains hauling dangerous goods like crude oil and ethanol will be forced to slow down in urban areas under a new emergency directive issued by Transport Minister Lisa Raitt.The new speed limit will be 40 miles (64 kilometers) per hour “in highly urbanized areas.” This is down from 80 kilometers per hour previously and matches a similar directive imposed by the U.S. government earlier this month.Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. and Canadian National Railway Co. had already voluntarily reduced their train speeds to 35 miles per hour in urban areas.The emergency directive, which will remain in place until Aug. 17, also requires more inspections and risk assessments along key routes used for the transportation of dangerous goods.The transport minister has the authority to issue emergency directives when “there is an immediate threat to safe railway operations or the security of railway transportation.” The order follows the derailment and explosion of two CN trains carrying oil through northern Ontario earlier this year.In a recent interview with the Financial Post, Transportation Safety Board chairwoman Kathy Fox called for lower speed limits for oil trains until new tank-car standards are developed.© Copyright (c) National Post
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/15 13:52 by PennPlat.
