Crude oil from North Dakota and Canada rolls through Baltimore ("In some Maryland railroad towns, crude oil is an open secret," Dec. 25). Oil companies could stabilize the crude, making it less likely to explode upon spilling. But that would erode their profit. Shippers could use tank cars with reinforced walls and valves, making the oil less likely to escape and pollute the water table or nearby lake or river. But that would hurt their bottom line. Railroads could shorten the trains and slow them down, making derailments less likely. But profit rises as trains get longer and faster. State and local governments are powerless to stick up for the citizens who live along the tracks. The federal government does hold sway over the railroads, but the regulators are soothed by industry lobbyists' professions of concern for the people's safety.
Paul Wulterkens, St. Paul, Minn.