Bomb Train Derailments in 2014

This is from Facebook/BombTrains(Editor:  On a sad note, Curtis Hewston, who maintained the Facebook BombTrains page, passed away in September 2014, so this log has not been updated since August 2.  Curtis’ detailed logging of hazmat derailments was without an equal. Would that someone could pick up and carry on where Curtis left off…)

2014 — The Year In Bomb Train Derailments

This a running list of bomb train derailments in North America in 2014.

By “bomb train,” I mean those trains hauling one or more cars of crude oil, fuel oil, ethanol, methanol, propane, butane, liquified natural gas (methane), vinyl chloride, ammonium nitrate or high-nitrogen fertilizer such as anhydrous ammonia, phosphoric acid or some other highly volatile or especially toxic or caustic cargo.

I’m also counting derailments if the engine or engines derail and cause a diesel fuel spill. (The list does not include coal train derailments, which, of course, are a whole ‘nuther problem.) I’ve also indicated whether a detonation resulted.

So far in North America in 2014, we have seen an average of one bomb train derailment every 4 days ….

  • 01/07 – Plaster Rock, NB (6 days from Jan. 1), detonation
  • 01/20 – Philadelphia, PA (13 days later)
  • 01/26 – Edmundston, NB (6 days later)
  • 01/28 – Molino, FL (2 days later)
  • 01/31 – New Augusta, MS (3 days later)
  • 02/06 – Sedalia, CO (6 days later)
  • 02/11 – South Shore, KY and Jacksonville, FL (5 days later)
  • 02/13 – Vandergrift, PA (2 days later)
  • 02/19 – West Jordan, UT (6 days later)
  • 02/20 – Westford, MA (1 day later)
  • 02/22 – Covington, KY (2 days later)
  • 02/23 – St-Henri, QC (1 day later)
  • 02/27 – Great Falls, MT  (4 days later)
  • 02/28 – Selkirk, NY (1 day later)
  • 03/11 – Mortlach, SK (11 days later)
  • 03/14 – Clifton, AZ (3 days later)
  • 03/20 – White Pigeon, MI (6 days later)
  • 03/21 – Proctor, MN (1 day later)
  • 04/07 – Glens Falls, NY (17 days later)
  • 04/09 – Philadelphia, PA (2 days later)
  • 04/12 – Slateford, PA (3 days later)
  • 04/14 – Nairn, ON (2 days later)
  • 04/30 – Lynchburg, VA (16 days later), detonation
  • 05/08 – Estevan, SK (8 days later)
  • 05/09 – LaSalle, CO (1 day later)
  • 05/12 – Albany, NY (3 days later)
  • 05/23 – Fort Frances, ON (11 days later)
  • 05/31 – Tulsa, OK (8 days later)
  • 06/07 – McKeesport, PA (7 days later)
  • 06/09 – Pictou County, NS (2 day later)
  • 06/16 – Tuscaloosa, AL (7 days later)
  • 06/20 – Winnipeg, MB (4 days later)
  • 06/22 – Blytheville, AR (2 days later)
  • 06/23 – Phoenix, AZ and Navasota, TX (1 day later)
  • 07/01 – McKeesport, PA (8 days later)
  • 07/02 – Sewickley, PA (1 day later)
  • 07/03 – Superior, MT (1 day later)
  • 07/04 – Whitecourt, AB (1 day later)
  • 07/10 – Brockville, ON (6 days later)
  • 07/13 – Three Hills, AB (3 days later)
  • 07/16 – Mortlach, SK (3 days later)
  • 07/17 – Everett, WA (1 day later)
  • 07/18 – El Paso, TX (1 day later)
  • 07/20 – Slinger, WI (2 days later)
  • 07/24 – Dexter, MO and Seattle, WA (4 days later)
  • 07/25 – Spartanburg, SC (1 day later)
  • 07/30 – Selkirk, NY (5 days later)
  • 08/01 – Baton Rouge, LA and Kingston, ON (2 days later)

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