Is Railroad Safety in a State of Crisis?

Hosted by
Thirteen cars of a Union Pacific freight train went off the rails last night in San Bernardino, between a housing tract and mobile home park. Though no one was hurt, 300 people were evacuated, because the train was carrying propane and chlorine gas. Just a month ago, 21 cars jumped the tracks in Industry, disrupting the Metrolink. Last night's was the fourth derailment in just over a month. Are new regulations required? Are officials enforcing what-s already on the books? With the railroad industry in financial trouble, what will it take to establish higher standards of safety? We hear what-s needed for railroad safety from a spokesman for Union Pacific and a civil engineer who he examined the site of the 2003 Metrolink crash in Burbank. Making News: US Passports Needed at the Border Starting in 2008 More than three years after September 11, all it takes to cross the American border is a driver-s license, but that-s going to change. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said today that Americans will need passports or other travel documents to re-enter the US from Canada, Mexico, Panama and Bermuda. Michelle Morgante, correspondent for Associated Press in San Diego, assesses the advantages and disadvantages. Reporter-s Notebook: Inglewood Activists Attend WalMart Meeting in Arkansas After a series of high-profile controversies over new Super-stores, WalMart is trying to clean up its image. At its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, the world-s largest retailer is hosting a crowd of journalists, as part of an ongoing public relations campaign. Former Inglewood City Councilman Danny Tabor is there too, to present CEO Lee Scott with a community benefits agreement like the one reached by the City of Los Angeles and people who live near LAX.
Thirteen cars of a Union Pacific freight train went off the rails last night in San Bernardino, between a housing tract and mobile home park. Though no one was hurt, 300 people were evacuated, because the train was carrying propane and chlorine gas. Just a month ago, 21 cars jumped the tracks in Industry, disrupting the Metrolink. Last night's was the fourth derailment in just over a month. Are new regulations required? Are officials enforcing what-s already on the books? With the railroad industry in financial trouble, what will it take to establish higher standards of safety? We hear what-s needed for railroad safety from a spokesman for Union Pacific and a civil engineer who he examined the site of the 2003 Metrolink crash in Burbank.
  • Making News: US Passports Needed at the Border Starting in 2008
    More than three years after September 11, all it takes to cross the American border is a driver-s license, but that-s going to change. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said today that Americans will need passports or other travel documents to re-enter the US from Canada, Mexico, Panama and Bermuda. Michelle Morgante, correspondent for Associated Press in San Diego, assesses the advantages and disadvantages.
  • Reporter-s Notebook: Inglewood Activists Attend WalMart Meeting in Arkansas
    After a series of high-profile controversies over new Super-stores, WalMart is trying to clean up its image. At its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, the world-s largest retailer is hosting a crowd of journalists, as part of an ongoing public relations campaign. Former Inglewood City Councilman Danny Tabor is there too, to present CEO Lee Scott with a community benefits agreement like the one reached by the City of Los Angeles and people who live near LAX.

    • State Department on new passport regulations

    UP news release on track improvements

    WalMart

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney

Producer:

Frances Anderton