Ecoterrorism in the PNW

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Gsand31415

Guest
We were buying seafood at the waterfront yesterday and saw a big black column of smoke to the north, up towards the border. Ecoterrorists have sabotaged the BNSF train tracks something like 10 times this year, and now a train pulling oil cars derailed and caught on fire. Ironically, they are protesting a proposed pipeline through Canada. The derailment occurred a stone's throw from a salmon stream (I caught a silver at the mouth this year!).
 
GaryJ

GaryJ

Here since 2006
They’re not the only ecoterrorists. If one takes the time to look at the unnecessary environmental destruction done by the oil companies much will be revealed. Yes we need oil, but when the quest for extreme profits supersedes the health of the planet and the species that depend on it, a more equitable balance must be struck.

Gary
 
VanGoSki

VanGoSki

Well-known member
The incident is still under investigation. As of yet, there's no indication that this was intentional sabotage. If it were, I'd say fry them and make an example out of them.

On the other hand, from what I'm reading most of the vandalism is placing wires across the track called shunts that confuse the train electronics into making an emergency maneuver which can cause a crash. I would submit that if it's that easy to derail a train then that is a huge safety concern that must be addressed before any more oil is shipped by rail.
 
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icarus

Well-known member
To call the derailment/fire in Custer WA (or imply) that it was an act of eco terrorism is at the very least premature and is quite disingenuous. Yes there have been several incidents on BNSF railway rights of way this year, none causing an accident. On the other hand BNSF’s track record (no pun intended) is not perfect. As a point in fact, the next day after the above mentioned derailment, BNSF put several locomotives and several cars on the ground in Eastern WA, near Prosser WA. It happens in that case to have collided with a tractor trailer. Earlier in the year a serious accident on the banks of the Columbia river with a leaking oil train.

Railways are essential, fossil fuel is essential for the time being. We need to deal with it, but there ought to be more responsibility on all sides, but who can forget the carnage of Lac Magentic QC?

Icarus (Whatcom County WA)
 
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Gsand31415

Guest
icarus said:
at the very least premature and is quite disingenuous.
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The FBI has been called in, and based on their inability to find the culprit who hatcheted all the fiber optic lines to northwest Washington a few days after 9/11, and then again a year later in the exact same building, I doubt if they could find their asses if they used both hands. They fit right in with their organization that failed to find the culprits in the Tylenol poisonings and the Anthrax attacks, but did drive the targets of their investigations to psychological breakdowns.
 
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