Federal safety agency wants speed upgrades for train tank cars

The National Transportation Safety Board cited a March 5 train derailment near Galena, Ill., as a reason for speeding up safety improvements on tank cars used to carry flammable liquids, including crude oil and ethanol.

NTSB Chairman Christopher Hart urged the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration on Monday to implement an 'aggressive” schedule for replacing or retrofitting U.S. tank cars with better fire protection and increased capacity on pressure-relief valves.

DOT-111 tank cars long have been viewed as dangerous for hauling crude oil and other flammables because of their relatively thin steel walls and unprotected valves. The outdated - but still legal - cars have been blamed for a series of fiery train derailments, including one in July 2013 that killed 47 people in Quebec.

The U.S. Department of Transportation proposed rules last summer that would have required phasing out the DOT-111 cars in two years. But railroad industry groups said the timeline was too fast.

Final regulations are expected later this spring.

CPC 1232 tank cars, manufactured since 2011, have proved little better in recent accidents. Among four derailments mentioned in the NTSB report is a March 5 accident near Galena, where 21 CPC-1232 cars derailed, causing a fire that burned for days.

A national uptick in crude production has caused increased demand for transport by rail, truck, barge, and pipeline, with experts debating which methods are safest for people and the environment.