Wednesday’s, May 6, 2015, issue of the North Star had an article concerning an early March railway accident at the Church Street crossing that I wondered would ever come to ‘light’. I’m glad it did, because too often ‘what happens at night, stays in the dark’. Here’s a link to the online article.
The report said that a load of rails, the kind used for railway tracks, loosened on a CP train while traveling through Parry Sound allowing one of them to ‘hang out’. As it crossed Church Street the rail caught a ‘utility’ pole and dropped it. Here’s a photo from the next morning.
Cut Off at the Knees (Parry Sound in Four Colour)
But what happened to the rail that was hanging out and cut off the pole? What else did it hit? That wasn’t elaborated on in the North Star article, and it’s one of those details that CP probably didn’t want to discuss. I understand that the train just continued on, the engineer and conductor unaware that the rail was hanging out. The clip of the pole probably would not have been noticeable from the lead engine.
Apparently the rail hit the trestle crossing Gibson Street and a section broke off, falling down on the street. Fortunately it was at night and no one was hurt. That probably solved the problem of the rail hitting anything else. The trestle crossing Gibson Street is pretty ‘tight’ and would have clipped the rail reasonably short. I have no idea when the crew became aware of the problem.
What might have happened had it been during the day and the rail had slipped out on the right hand side? For many reasons I’m glad that both schools are being moved away from the railway tracks.
Sometimes what you don’t know can hurt you.
Anyone else noticing that the southbound trains seem to have picked up speed in the last week along the CN track? I understand legislation will be enacted this Fall that will increase the safety requirements of the railways operating in Canada. Stronger tankers and slower speeds are part of the legislation.
Is This ‘Rail’ Line Dancing? (Parry Sound in Motion)
