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CN derails again in canyon

Nine empty cars go off at same site as chemical spill in August Sylvie Paillard spaillard@squamishchief.com Nine empty lumber CN Rail cars tumbled off the rail tracks Monday (Oct.

Nine empty cars go off at same site as chemical spill in August

Sylvie Paillard

spaillard@squamishchief.com

Nine empty lumber CN Rail cars tumbled off the rail tracks Monday (Oct. 24) in the Cheakamus Canyon, near the site of an August derailment that caused 41,000 litres of caustic soda to pour into the Cheakamus River.

The newest derailment involved a 122-car train heading northbound. It passed through the canyon at 11:30 a.m. when the accident occurred at Mile 54. Initial reports stated that 10 cars had derailed, but that was quickly amended to nine. None of the cars landed in water, there was no environmental damage nor were there any injuries, said CN spokesperson Graham Dallas.

The incident provoked the newly formed Anglers' Association to take action. Association spokesperson Rio Sdrakas said the group organized their own informational fan out for nearby residents that included 50 fishermen. The association formed as a response to the August derailment to provide a "voice for anglers" concerned with CN's operational practices, said Sdrakas. More than 40 people showed up to the first informational meeting held Monday Oct. 17. And monthly meetings are now tentatively planned for the first Monday of each month at the Sunwolf grounds on Squamish Valley Road. An association web page can be linked through www.riversedgefishing.com.

The District of Squamish (DOS) immediately issued a statement that read: "Representatives from the Squamish Emergency Program and RCMP have flown over the derailment site and confirmed that the derailment consists of 10 empty lumber flat cars. The actual location is approximately 500 metres away from the Cheakamus River and is not intersecting any watercourse in that area. The District of Squamish is currently anticipating that no further emergency response measures will be undertaken at this time."

Sgt. Colin Worth was in the helicopter. He said the RCMP learned of the derailment when a Vancouver radio station called to get details.

Worth quickly determined there was an incident and CN reported to him there was no danger to people or the environment. After hearing that, Worth started making arrangements to view the rail cars from the air.

"I don't trust that we are getting accurate information from CN," said Worth. "What's come out of the last incident was that we took CN at face value and we weren't prepared to do that again."

Mayor Ian Sutherland and DOS Council said during the Tuesday (Oct. 25) council meeting that the district is relying on the Transportation Safety Board to investigate since they have the expertise.

"The Transportation Safety Board is certainly working on this very diligently and they are the ones in the room that can make the regulation changes which clearly we are unable to do," said councillor Sonja Lebans.

The Transportation Safety Board issued a safety advisory for CN Rail trains travelling through the Cheakamus after the derailment in August. Dan Holbrook, the safety board's western regional manager, said Tuesday (Oct. 25) that the advisory was issued by Transport Canada suggesting changes be made to the way CN operates in the Cheakamus.

"They need to evaluate, or take a look at Canadian National's operational review and assess their equipment handling, train length and tonnage instructions," said Holbrook.

It is up to Transport Canada to relay the advisory to CN and spokesperson Graham Dallas said no safety advisory has yet been received.

"We expect to be in contact with Transport Canada in the near future to discuss our safety procedures and operating practices," said Dallas. "We are in routine close contact with a regulator about rail practices on an on-going basis." Holbrook said there has been a "significant increase" in main track accidents involving CN trains. But Dallas had a different take on CN's recent track record.

"Certainly CN has had some derailments, but we have had fewer derailments than any railroads in North America," said Dallas. "Our safety record is many times better than the former BC Rail. BC Rail had 25 accidents in 2003, the following year, 2004, when we began to integrate the two operations; these types of accidents have fallen to 12. And so far in 2005 we've further reduced the accidents to seven, so that's only a fraction of the total train accidents recorded by BC Rail only a few years prior. These are accidents as measured by the North American Rail Industry."

In the B.C. legislature in Victoria on Tuesday, NDP transportation critic Dave Chudnovsky said his party had called for an order limiting the length and weight of CN Trains through high-risk areas of B.C.

-with files from John French.

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