In the wake of some unfortunate incidents, legislators and companies alike are looking for ways to ensure maximum effectiveness and safety for the fuel transportation industry.
The energy sector has always sparked some debate between what’s safe and what’s effective. The transportation of resources like petroleum is, to this day, an especially widely considered issue, as many parties look to develop both the highest standards of safety and new innovations to meet those standards.
Following a recent incident involving a cargo train derailment in Quebec, the legislative bodies in both the United States and Canada are taking action to ensure that the safety precautions in the industry are as strict and thorough as ever.
Here’s a look at some of the extensive measures being taken by lawmakers, as well as the state-of-the-art products from Midwest Industrial Supply, Inc. that can help rail companies meet these new regulations comfortably.
Steps Toward a Safer Future
According to PowerSource, regulations totaling over $2.5 billion in costs have been passed since the Quebec derailment incident in 2013 — regulations that would require over 27,000 cargo cars to be upgraded to meet new standards by the year 2020.
These updates consist of installing improved valves and thicker steel walls, as well as making a thermal-lined outer shell mandatory.
“This is a schedule we believe is workable; it’s aggressive,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, further admitting that many manufacturers will likely feel heavily inconvenienced by these new harsh mandates.
The head of Federal Railroad Administration, Sarah Feinberg, however, made it very clear where the government’s priorities lie — speaking on the subject of requiring new electronic brakes, she asserted that “we are not an agency with the goal of making things convenient or inexpensive for industry.”
With the odds stacked against them, rail companies must now turn to innovative strategies and solutions to succeed in these challenging conditions.
Making Legislation Into Reality
As is true with any industry, weighty ideas must always be reinforced by reliable products and well-organized execution.
Midwest realizes the paramount importance of safety in the industrial sector, and designs their products to the highest standard — with over 40 years of experience in the business, Midwest has developed its products to ensure across-the-board safety and efficiency.
Anti-Icing Solutions
When you’re dealing with transportation — especially in the northern United States and Canada — icy switches can present major inconveniences and hefty problems.
The issue is ice in track switches — when ice causes these switches to jam, there’s nothing more reliable than Ice Free Switch®, which features Zero Gravity technology co-developed by NASA to work in all weathers and temperatures, preventing delays and more serious rail-related issues.
Rail Lubrication Solutions
In addition to their anti-icing products, Midwest’s lubrication technology can help ensure that a transport operation moves confidently and smoothly at all times.
Their Glidex® product guarantees optimal track conditions while consistently outperforming graphite or petroleum because it stays on and, therefore, requires fewer applications and less manpower. It’s easy to apply, environmentally friendly products like these that act as the necessary ingredient in any safe railway.
Looking Forward
With an industry as critical to the U.S. and Canadian economies as rail, it’s important that executives and operators alike turn to companies like Midwest to help implement the safest and most efficient infrastructures possible.
With the help of high-quality products provided by Midwest, the future of fuel transportation looks brighter and more promising than ever.
(Image credit: Renaud CHODKOWSKI/flickr)
