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Crude Oil Train Bound For Walnut Hill Derails, Explodes In Alabama
November 9, 2013
A 90-car crude oil train bound for Walnut Hill derailed and exploded in rural Pickens County, Ala., west of Tuscaloosa on Friday. Three tank cars exploded and at least 11 of the rail cars were burning after the accident.
Authorities planned to let the cars burn themselves out. In all, about 25 rail cars full of North Dakota crude oil derailed.
The incident involved an Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway train owned by Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. The train was headed south to the Genesis Energy owned Walnut Hill Crude Oil Rail Unloading Facility on Arthur Brown Road. [Click here for more about the facility.]
Genesis does not own the railway or the train that derailed.
Pictured: A portion of a crude oil train that did not derail after an explosive accident in northern Alabama on Friday. Courtesy Alabama EMA for NorthEscambia.com. Pictured inset: The train was headed to the Genesis Energy terminal in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
14 Responses to “Crude Oil Train Bound For Walnut Hill Derails, Explodes In Alabama”
Are some of these tankers heated to keep the contents fluid?
I was sitting at the Airport Road crossing watching tankers of “Molten Sulpher” roll by and was wondering how they keep it molten.
Or are they just really well insulated tankers?
David is correct. Crude oil vapors don’t explode, per se; they burn very similar to the way diesel burns; very high BTU. That being said, the vapor space in the rail car can pressure up from the hot liquids beginning to boil; if pressure relief valves don’t operate properly or if they are overwhelmed, the container can explode from overpressure (boiling liquid exploding vapors- BLEVE).
The product is, of course, a pollutant when unintentionally released.
REGARDING:
“@ David Huie Green Pease, you are starting to sound a lot like the BP educated idiots that clame no damage @ our sea shores! Daah, oh..ok. All the oil just vanished! ”
That wasn’t a BP employee who thought oil vanished if it dissolved in water (which it won’t). It was an Obama Administration official who should have never passed high school chemistry.
BP never said no damage was done. They have however blamed the people who actually caused the blowout. And it is still true that petroleum by itself does not just up and explode. You have to mix in an oxidant. Tanks rupture and spill their contents and those contents can burn, but that is not an explosion.
David for correct statements
@ David Huie Green Pease, you are starting to sound a lot like the BP educated idiots that clame no damage @ our sea shores! Daah, oh..ok. All the oil just vanished! Don’t touch the tar balls though! Watch what you try to convince us country folks of your self deranged explainations!
Elmo, for not going for it!!
All of the rail systems are getting old and worn out, just as our old hi-ways and bridges are. Larger operators such as CSX spend more money on track maintenance than the smaller short-lines. CSX has had several derailments also.
On the up, crude oil is basically harmless out of a waterway, and hard to ignite. Railroads have a great safety record considering how many materials are transported, some very hazardous, with a low incident rate.
We can all complain about hazardous materials being transported through our towns, right down the middle of most towns. The tracks were there long before the towns were, and most small towns were built around a railroad whistle stop. A place for the locomotives to take on water and tinder for the boilers.
Grab a North American Emergency Response Guide Book (2012), sit near a crossing and take a look at placards on passing cars. It’ll make you thankful for safety standards on railways in the US.
I am aware thay they do not come south of Walnut Hill, but there are plenty of chemical cars that come through there. Maybe you can cover it on a different story, not pertaining to the crude oil plant. I am not advocating any negative feedback for the Walnut Hill plant, it is awesome that some industry actually made it in to Florida, but the condition of of the rail line has people in our area very concerned. Thanks for your response, and for keeping all of us out here in the woods informed!
>>>William, will you come down through Bay Springs and take some photos of the rail conditions south of the plant as well?
To the best of my knowledge, the crude trains don’t travel that stretch of track. They come into Walnut Hill from the north and return to the north.
William, will you come down through Bay Springs and take some photos of the rail conditions south of the plant as well? Its just a matter of time before pne derails down here!!! The ties are rotting from under the rails, they replaced a few here and there, but about every ten or twelve you will find a good one. Stop at Deer Run Ln and look both directions, at how far out of alignment the rails are. If a train were to derail there, we would have no way out!! Thanks for staying on top of things!!
Hmmm, seems to me that I just said something like this might happen here. Hope everyone is ok.
Fridays post was about positive impact this plant has on our area
…saturdays not so positive
Crude oil doesn’t explode
However, tanks rupture and hydrocarbons burn
Glad this didn’t happen in Atmore……..
Do you see what we have to look forward to ?