Thursday’s railway explosion in North Korea and the terrorist attacks in Madrid last month have officials turning a critical eye to safety and security on the U.S. rail network. Are the rails truly safe to ride? Each year, there are about 2 million hazardous material rail shipments in the U.S., according to the Federal Railroad Administration. Each of these shipments could kill thousands of U.S. residents if there were an accident or a terrorist attack. “Ten bombs in Madrid killed a total of 200 people,” said Fred Millar, a transportation consultant. “Just one chlorine tanker car, if released over a crowded event, can produce a cloud that will kill 100,000 people in an hour.” What’s worse, a National Transportation Safety Board study said that more than half the 60,000 railroad tank cars carrying hazardous materials don’t meet current industry safety standards and may rupture if the trains derailed. Full Story
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