So says Wisconsin Railroad Commissioner Jeff Plale, who also says a fiery oil train wreck could happen here. Recent exploding oil tanker cars in Canada and Illinois had passed through Wisconsin before their derailments.
So did Plale ask for more inspectors in the current budget still under review, or is he satisfied with one, and does calling attention to it to a reporter end the discussion?
So did Plale ask for more inspectors in the current budget still under review, or is he satisfied with one, and does calling attention to it to a reporter end the discussion?
Plale called attention to that he has just one inspector working in his department, which oversees around 4,500 railroad crossings on more than 3,000 miles of track in the state.Here's what those trains look like snaking through downtown Milwaukee, having come through Wauwatosa and Milwaukee's West side, too, among other locales.
I've seen such trains, with a hundred or more oil tanker cars, working their way through Brookfield and Elm Grove (past homes, schools and parks). This weekend I noticed what may be a new approach: interspersing one, two or three oil tanker cars here and there among the regular rail cars. Maybe it's safer that way, or maybe the powers that be are just hoping it will be less noticeable (and less alarming).
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