Railroad president says unmanned trains very rare

A NHN train loaded with sand and gravel heads southbound through Somersworth. (Courtesy photo)

The president of the railroad freight line that runs through Rochester, Lebanon and Milton told The Lebanon Voice that it is very seldom that their crews would leave a train unmanned, but if they did, all federal rules are followed so that their lockdown is secure.

Concerns over railroad hauling of dangerous material and unmanned trains have risen in the wake of the recent tragedy in a small Quebec town near the Maine border that was devastated when several cars full of oil rolled into the town, derailed and explodes earlier this month killing dozens and setting the entire downtown on fire.

The cause of the inferno has centered on the train’s engineer who may not have properly set the brakes prior to leaving the train for a hotel after his shift.

Two citizens of Lac-Megantic have begun a class action suit against the railroad that was transporting the oil tanker cars, Irving Oil, which owned the oil they were filled with and the company that extracted the oil from the ground.

Dean M.  Boylan Jr. is the president of New Hampshire Northcoast Railroad, a wholly owned subsidiary of Boston Sand & Gravel, of which Boylan is also president.

New Hampshire Northcoast Railroad maintains 43 miles of track between Ossipee and Somersworth over which it carries mostly sand and gravel to Boston where it is used in various construction projects.

It also hauls some propane cars to Eastern Propane’s facility in Rochester. Representatives of Eastern Propane were unavailable for comment for this story.

Boylan said strict safety standards in compliance with state and federal railway policies are always adhered to with regard to unmanned trains.

“It is very rare that we would leave a train unattended, but in that unlikely event, all federal rules and regulations are followed to ensure there is no accidental or unauthorized movement,” he said in an email to The Lebanon Voice.

Boylan said New Hampshire Northcoast operates under class 3 track standards. The trains that run over the line have an average speed of 20 mph and a maximum speed of 30  mph.