Railroads across America carry hundreds of billions of dollars of toxic materials every year.
The body charged with regulating the industry, the Federal Railroad Administration, admits it inspects less than one percent of railroad activity. What risks does shipping hazardous materials on the railroads create?
Host Frank Stasio talks with reporter Marcus Stern. His work, Boom: North America’s Explosive Oil-By-Rail Problem, examines regulatory responses to oil train explosions and the nation's aging railroad infrastructure. The work is a collaborative effort of Inside Climate News, The Weather Channel and The Investigative Fund.
The video below is a mini-documentary about the oil-by-train explosions in Canada. Stern's full report can be found here.
