Bakken Train Derailment

Crude by Rail
Crude by Rail

Another Bakken train derailment leaves a mess in rural northeastern Montana

Related: Bakken Oil Train Derails

Last Friday, 22 train cars from a Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF)  train derailed causing an evacuation of residents in nearby homes and in a Bakken man camp. Officials said the train was headed to Anacortes, Washington and derailed about 5 miles east of the small town of Culbertson, near the North Dakota border.

35,000 gallons of crude oil leaked from four of the derailed cars, but officials there was no immediate evidence that any crude reached a waterway.

The Department of Transportation issued an emergency order in May that requires certain crude by rail trains to slow down in high threat areas. But speed doesn’t seem to be a factor in the latest crash. After investigating Thursday’s crash, the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration revealed that the train was only traveling at 44 mph.

This was the sixth such train accident in the Bakken since the beginning of he year. Other crashes include:

  • 2/17/15: WV derailment carries Bakken crude
  • 2/14/15 Train carrying crude oil derails in Canada
  • 3/6/15: Oil train carrying Bakken crude explodes in Illinois
  • 3/7/15 Train carrying crude oil derails in Canada
  • 3/8/15: Train carrying crude oil derails in northern Ontario
  • 5/6/15: Train carrying Bakken crude derails near Heimdal, North Dakota