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A freight train carrying wagons with liquid gas derailed in the Italian city of Viareggio last night, causing on of the wagons to explode. At least 15 people were killed, dozens more are missing, or were heavily injured. The explosion caused huge damage in the city.

You can find some pictures here: http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotos ... cle=633411
(German only, click on the picture to get to the next one.)

English source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8125644.stm

I saw this on early news this morning. Doesn't look pretty at all. Apparently, they have to wait for the gas to burn off before further action.

If some people knew what railroads were carrying in their neighborhoods every day there'd be riots in the streets. Really.

Still, safer than trucking the stuff.

ANCFlyer wrote:If some people knew what railroads were carrying in their neighborhoods every day there'd be riots in the streets. Really.
Still, safer than trucking the stuff.

True. Though there is enough of crazy stuff being trucked every day as well.

I remember last year, when they discovered a fruit truck in Italy, that, apart from mediterranean fruit, had several functional anti-aircraft missiles on board. What first looked like a spectacular catch to customs officers soon turned out to be a regular transport arranged by the Greek ministry of defence.

The missiles were supposed to be trucked to Germany for maintenance. Apparently, the Greek didn't quite get the irritation this caused - they said they shipped their missiles like this all the time, as it was so much cheaper than arranging fully guarded military transports. Plus, it was supposed to be all safe. After all, the igniters and control system were shipped in a separate box...

ANCFlyer's grandad anywhere near by?

ANCFlyer wrote:If some people knew what railroads were carrying in their neighborhoods every day there'd be riots in the streets. Really.

Most people here are aware of all the goodies going through the south side of the town by rail, but that's nothing compared to the huge refinery and polymers plants out southeast of the city- With a prevailing wind blowing right over the top of it.

ANCFlyer wrote:I saw this on early news this morning. Doesn't look pretty at all. Apparently, they have to wait for the gas to burn off before further action.

If some people knew what railroads were carrying in their neighborhoods every day there'd be riots in the streets. Really.

Still, safer than trucking the stuff.

Reminded me of that tanker car full of chlorine a couple years ago that got away and rolled twenty miles through the middle of Las Vegas before they caught it...



http://www.lvrj.com/news/9466232.html

ANCFlyer wrote:If some people knew what railroads were carrying in their neighborhoods every day there'd be riots in the streets. Really.

Still, safer than trucking the stuff.

I get all manner of tankers running about half a mile from where I live, along with the odd consignment of nuclear waste. Yummy.

As you say, though, I'd far rather have that stuff on the railway than on the road.

My house backs right up to a railroad line. I've seen tanker cars full off all these horrible things, my view is, if I see a tank roll, im running, FAST and upwind...

Mark