Terrorism is a bigger risk than derailments: CPR CEO

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

The fact that EHH said this is more surprising than anything in the article;

http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/terrorism-is-a-bigger-risk-than-derailments-cp-boss-1.2260688

Bruce

2

Both could and do happen, both can be potentially disastrous, but a far bigger risk to individuals is when we get into a car and start driving. I can think of four folks I knew who have been killed in separate traffic accidents.

I think EHH may be right but am not getting paranoid. I might add, chasing railfans away from the property removes an extra pair of eyes that might spot unusual activity in time.

3

I have the same thoughts when I see an oil train rolling through a built up area like Mississauga (Toronto). I don’t know what can be done other than to stamp out terrorism at its source.

4

[:-,] Judging from the comments in the concurrent “Hunter Hates Trees” thread here and associated links - http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/t/244956.aspx?page=1 - he ought to know; perhaps he looked in the mirror ? [swg]

  • Paul North.
5

It seems like a diversion to take the focus off of an exploding oil train problem that perceived to be the fault of the railroads, and shifting it to an exploding oil train problem for which there is national responsibility.

6

There’s that, but the locations of the wrecks have been totally random. And none have occurred in major metropolitan areas. Built up, yes, but not major.
That certainly is not to lessen the losses from the wrecks so far, but it is to say that terrorists don’t seek to wipe out the downtown of a small village. They would usually prefer to wipe out the downtown of a major metropolitan area.
Wrecks happen, for reasons too numerous to enumerate here. We’ve had several in this area, only one of which got any coverage outside the local media - and that was a two car runaway from a military base. Of course, none involved large quantities of flammable/explosive materiels either.
So if you live in a major metropolitan area, your odds of coming in contact with a random wreck are virtually nil. However, your chances of coming in contact with a terrorist action are a good deal higher. They want to make a name for themselves, and a random corn field in North Dakota isn’t their primary target…

7

That thud you heard was CP’s PR department slamming their heads on the table.

8

A year or so ago (Jan. 21+/-, 2014) a CSX oil train derailed on a bridge over the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, right next to I-76, the infamous “Sure-Kill Expressway”. One possible ‘worse’ consequence would have been a spill into the River, and a flaming river was not impossible. See:

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Train-Derails-Schuykill-Expressway-Closed-241114931.html

  • Paul North.
9

I do recall that, now that you mention it. And it would have been, shall we say, “interesting” had a major leak and fire ensued. But, like in dozens of other derailments, oil or not, nothing untoward happened.

10

And the skills and abilities of railroaders and thier hired contractors prevented a bad situation from becoming a catastrophic situation as the Ecoterrorists would have loved to have had happen.

11

An attack would be more likely to occur at a commuter railroad grade crossing or in an underground subway station than on a hard to chase freight train.

Andrew

12

Most foriegn terrorists, like too many Americans, probably couldn’t find North Dakota on a map. Or Iowa, for that matter,

Jeff

13

Or the news media, which are the necessary unindicted co-conspirators for the terrorists to achieve their goal on the rest of us:

Dr. Strangelove: Of course, the whole point of a Doomsday Machine is lost, if you keep it a secret! Why didn’t you tell the world, EH?

(from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057012/quotes )

  • Paul North.
14

I’ve been in Ames and Story City. Does that count? [:D] [;)]

15

Although an oil train has a lot of destructive potential, I think that terrorists would find it unwieldy in terms of hitting the target. But hyping the danger of railroad terrorism to downplay the danger of oil train derailments is amazingly transparent.

16

As with Jeff, finding Iowa is not difficult for me–I jsut get on a train and go through the state (on the Plainsman, on the City of Portland, and on the Q). I have stepped off at various stops–and I knew I was in Iowa.[:)]