Oil industry must join US railroads to boost train safety: regulator

Washington

RAIL operators are going to great lengths to prevent oil train derailments but the energy sector must do more to prevent accidents from becoming fiery disasters, the leading US rail regulator said.

Oil train tankers have jumped the tracks in a string of mishaps in recent months that resulted in explosions and fires. Several of those shipments originated from North Dakota's Bakken energy fields. Officials have warned that fuel from the region is particularly light and volatile.