Thanks for the posts. It seems it was just not reported as often previously.
It shows how attention can create what seems abnormal when it isn’t.
That is because most things that ship on a rail car are not dangerous. Its just another insurance claim. When it happens in my industry the sawmill replaces the load with another shipment ASAP. Then they file a claim with the railroad. The railroad files a claim with their insurance company. They sell the material at salvage value.
It only makes the news when there is some dangerous chemical spill that is hazardous to humans and the environment or an oil train burns a town in Quebec down.
I had a truck of lumber get in an accident and tip over on the bridge over the Saco River in South Portland, ME. It was a truck of 2x4-4’ going to a truss plant in NY. It made the front page of the Portland newspaper. I called the paper and got a copy of the picture. I got it framed and sent it to the customer I had sold the load to. On the bottom of the picture I had them write:
“Your lumber handled with care by XXXX forest products”
He had the picture in his office for years. The mill replaced the load as soon as they could. Someone in the Portland area bought a bunch of 2x4-4’ at a big discount.