Train Safety Under Spotlight After Wisconsin Derailment
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A BNSF freight train derailed near the Mississippi River just north of the town of Alma, Wisconsin Saturday.
Twenty-five cars went off the tracks there, and an estimated 20,000 gallons of ethanol spilled into the river.
The Transportation and Public Works Committee is proposing a way to enhance rail safety and reduce risk within city limits.
Their proposed resolution demands transparency, accountability and improved communication with railroad companies.
"We're not asking for non-coexistence of these activities," Minneapolis Ward 1 Councilmember Kevin Reich said. "We're just saying, 'Let's do it right with the best technology, best practices and best safety ... techniques in mind.'"
Environmental groups want the states and federal government to review the risk of transporting hazardous materials.
The track in Wisconsin has re-opened and trains are back in operation.
