Artwork > Map Tracing Series 2011-2018

This piece is about the dramatic increase in oil train derailments in the last 5 years from fewer than 10,000 carloads in 2008 to nearly half a million in 2014 -- for two reasons: Bakken oil from North Dakota and Canadian tar sands. Hundreds of thousands of gallons have been spilled in towns and natural areas across North America. These unsafe cars, traveling on over-used rails, pass though multiple small towns and large cities. Officials believe that, if current practices continue unchecked, a deadly disaster for both human life an wildlife is highly likely. The map shapes are derived from the counties in which the most current large derailment explosions and spills have occurred.