MOUNT CARBON, W.Va. – A fiery West Virginia train derailment this week is one of three in the past year involving tank cars that already meet a higher safety standard than what federal law requires.
President Barack Obama and other federal officials are now urging even tougher standards for the tanks as an ever-increasing number of trains carry crude oil from one region to another in the U.S.
The oil and rail industries oppose the measures, however, saying they would be prohibitively expensive.
Monday’s derailment in West Virginia involved model 1232 tank cars, which include safety upgrades voluntarily adopted by the industry four years ago.
Model 1232 cars were involved in derailments near in Canada on Saturday and in Lynchburg, Virginia, last year.
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