Don’t expect safer trains

Tim Butters, the acting administrator for the U.S. Transportation Department’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, wants safety regulations on oil tank cars. He should take a good look at the regulations that existed in the 1980s, prior to deregulation of the railroad industry under President Ronald Reagan.

For example, trains were required to be inspected every 500 miles at inspection points throughout the country, including an inspection point in Spokane. This inspection was done by our own railroad maintenance crews. At inspection, any car that was determined to be defective was “red-tagged,” sent to the shop for repair, then sent on with the next train. A defect could be anything from a broken wheel to a broken train line.

As a former railroad conductor, I am well aware of the problems that have existed since deregulation, but highly pessimistic that anything will change with the current do-nothing Congress. Implementing new safety regulations will ultimately cost the railroads money; money the railroads would rather keep in their pockets.

As we used to say, “Uphill slow, downhill fast, profits first, safety last.” Good luck to Butters.

Bob Blangeres

United Transportation Union

Spokane