brains and mook --
Very very well-said! Bravo!

mook --
Thank you very much for explaining the huge divide between
those who are True Believers and those who base their actions
and philosophy on reality. Reminds me of what a friend used
to say: "Don't confuse me with the facts -- I've got my mind
made up already!" (BTW, FWIW, this friend mostly wanted
"Just the facts, ma'am.")

To all --
Please remember: Details are very important! What, exactly are
the characteristics of the crude oil in each train? How volatile is it?

I read an article that stated that one manager out in the Bakken Oil
field that said that the crude coming out of the ground was so
volatile that it was almost as thin and volatile as gasoline! And some
of the guys in the field would take it and put it directly into their cars or
trucks -- unrefined! There is also more than a small amount of hydrogen
sulfide in this Bakken crude, and hydrogen sulfide is very corrosive.
As "mook" pointed out, the way we transport this very volatile Bakken
crude is to use tank cars and pipelines that were never designed to
deal with highly volatile and corrosive substances.

The locals are quite right to be concerned about what is in the tank cars
that roll past their homes and businesses. Wouldn't you be, if you lived
or worked near tracks where trains are carrying a very volatile
substance?

In other words, please try to put yourself into the shoes of those who
don't want those oil trains carrying Bakken crude to run past their homes
or businesses.

Margaret