SubscribeThe transportation of hazardous cargo by rail in the United States has come under increased scrutiny by congress, the Department of Homeland Security, as well as state and local governments.
These factors, coupled with the railroad industry's own desire to maintain their ability to provide safe and secure transport of their customers hazardous materials, has introduced new challenges in rail security. Addressing these challenges is important, as railroads, and the efficient delivery of their cargo, play a vital role in the US economy.
At least a half-dozen U.S. cities are considering a ban or limit on rail shipments of deadly chemicals in an effort to prevent terrorists from turning tank cars into weapons of mass destruction.
According to an article in USA Today, these restrictions would apply to rail cars carrying lethal chemicals through populated neighborhoods. Rail industry figures show that 1.7 million carloads of hazardous materials (hazmat) are shipped along the nation's tracks each year.
President Bush's former deputy homeland security director, Richard Falkenrath, and Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., warned congress last year of the danger posed by rail transport of chemicals. According to the U.S. Naval Research Lab, 100,000 people could be killed in one attack.
This article points out that the rail industry opposes cities' efforts to reroute trains because longer routes increase the chance of accidents and injuries, according to Peggy Wilhide of the Association of American Railroads (ARA). However, it should be noted that the railroad industry has received good marks among all industries when evaluating the steps they've taken to address the risks of terrorist attacks.
According to a Rail Security Statement from Edward Hamberger with the AAR, "The railroad industry is one of the few private sector industries to receive an "A" for its security efforts in a recent independent analysis by The Washington Post." Click this link for more comments from political leaders and news media: Railroad Security Testimonials.
Some of the actions the railroad industry has taken since Sept. 11 include increased cyber-security, restricted access to railcar location data, spot employee identification checks, increased tracking and inspection of certain shipments, new encryption technology for selected data communications, increased security at physical assets, and increased employee training to ensure that the industry's more than 200,000 employees serve as the "eyes and ears" of the security effort.
Rail Industry Participates In Homeland Security Information Network
The rail industry also created a DOD-certified, 24/7 operations center that links the railroads with the appropriate national security intelligence officials. This allows the railroad industry and the intelligence community to immediately share information and respond to threats." In addition, the Association of American Railroads (AAR.org) has conducted a rail industry wide comprehensive risk analysis and has initiated a security plan to protect 142,000 miles of rail network.
The rail industry is not alone in facing very demanding new challenges to safety and security in their business. The railroad industry's security challenges are very similar to the security challenges the oil & gas pipeline industry face every day as well.
In the July 13, 2005 edition of USA Today, in an article titled: Warning: Chemical Hazard, it was reported, "Chlorine gas released from a train in Graniteville, S.C. in January killed 10 people. A plume of toxic vapor from volatile chemicals at a plant in Dalton, GA., last year sent 154 people to the hospital. An explosion at a chemical plant in Pascagoula, Miss., three years ago hurled pieces of metal weighing up to 6 tons as far as a mile." These events, and others, have raised concerns about both chemical plant security and rail security.
What challenge does the rail industry have in common with the oil & gas pipeline industry?
The Major Challenge: Protecting Long "Lines of Supply"
Protecting their "lines of supply" creates unique security challenges for these industries:
Long "lines of supply" introduce difficult security issues that stretch well beyond those addressed in the typical security requirements planning done within a single facility.- Pipelines, as well as railroads, have fundamental customer business requirements which necessitate the transport of explosive and hazardous materials across great distances.
- Frequently, oil & gas pipelines are just line trains, in that they have to run from very remote areas and end up passing through population centers in order to reach their ultimate destination!
In either case, often times the necessary response to these security challenges is to add additional monitoring and security systems equipment to existing operation centers and facilities. This is where ImageVision can help - Let us assist you from planning to procuring your security furniture and monitoring hardware requirements.
ImageVision's SecureVIEW ® security consoles can provide railway operations and security systems personnel with a cost-effective solution to support their expanded security monitoring and security furniture requirements at railway control facilities and switchyards.
To begin the process, ImageVision can provide detailed AutoCAD layout drawings of the proposed SecureVIEW ® modular security consoles. We can tailor the security solution to accommodate virtually any rail facility's requirements. One example of the tight spaces we can work in, which is representative of several control tower projects we've done for CSX Railway, as illustrated in this CAD drawing.
After working out the security furniture requirements to accommodate the all the LCD screens, CRT monitors, printers, copiers and other needed train control & security system equipment in the rail switching yard tower, in just six weeks, we were able to ship a "custom fit" solution for their requirements as pictured here:
Our sales representatives can typically produce a similar layout drawing, along with a detailed proposal for your rail security console requirements within 48 hours.
Click on the link below to contact ImageVision - select the "Contact Us" button and complete the on-line form with a summary of your request and we'll call you promptly to discuss your specific security system and security console furniture requirements and our "best fit solution"!