WASHINGRON – A Canadian Pacific train in a fiery derailment in North Dakota was pulling DOT-111 tank cars that are prone to rupturing, according to National Transportation Safety Board investigators. Since the 1990s the Board has called for DOT-111s not be used for hazardous materials. The train derailed near Bondulac, North Dakota. The crew jumped to safety. There were no casualties. The railroad suffered $3.6 million damage to tracks and equipment. What caused the wreck? The Board said its investigation was continuing. About the DOT-111 tank cars, they are legal until 2029 when a ban from Congress takes effect.
Crash detail
The National Transportation Safety Board’s interim report said an emergency brake was applied before the train derailed. Unknown was whether the two-person crew activated the brakes or whether they were triggered automatically. Investigators also said the 151-car train was going 45 mph — which was below the 50 mph limit. The lower speed was consistent with regulations for so many cars carrying hazardous materials, the investigators said.
DOT-111s. Canadian Pacific, recently re-dubbed CPKC, routinely pulls unit trains of troubled DOT-111 tank cars on its Mississippi River mainline through Winona. The rupture-prone cars also are in CP mixed cargo freights.
