Portland Press Herald: New technologies and global demand have led energy companies to develop large petroleum reserves in the upper Plains States and in Alberta. But strong opposition by environmental activists has stalled the construction of new pipelines to move the oil to North American refineries, and that has created an opportunity for freight railroads.
But the new activity also carries some risk.
Last March, a Pan Am Railways train carrying 445,000 gallons of crude oil derailed in Mattawamkeag. The accident...