Hot boxes (the term of art for failed wheel bearings) have been a hazard on the railroad since forever, which is why there are hot box detectors spaced in intervals along the line.

There was nothing “slapdash” about how these materials were included in the makeup of the train, it was a manifest train like any other that runs around the country every day. Watch your local manifests and see which UN placards you can spot. Hazardous tank cars have a placard, a stencil, and an emergency phone number on them.