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CN has committed to protect against sparking wildfires as trains increase through Squamish, says District

The Canadian National Railway (CN) plans to run up to two extra trains through its Sea to Sky route, diverting them from wildfire-damaged routes in the Fraser Canyon.
Train David Buzzard copy
CN freight train engines along the tracks in Dentville.
CN has committed to Squamish Mayor Karen Elliott that it will follow strict protocols as train traffic increases through town.

The Canadian National Railway (CN) plans to run up to two extra trains through its Sea to Sky route, diverting them from wildfire-overwhelmed routes in the Fraser Canyon that were damaged.

The District put out a post on social media asking residents to be extra vigilant around the tracks during this time.

According to the District, last week CN notified communities of the Lower Mainland that the total train length would be 80 rail cars, or 1,830 metres. 

Increased traffic will continue until the infrastructure has been repaired. 

The Chief reached out to CN to find out approximately how long that could take, but did not immediately hear back. 

The movement of goods will run through Squamish on the rail line from Prince George to Vancouver.

Though the cause of the fire that levelled Lytton June 30 is still being investigated, there was some speculation that trains could have contributed to the blaze. The Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating this question.  

On July 11, Federal Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra imposed a ministerial order, which requires CN and CP to follow specific precautions until Oct. 31, to further protect against wildfires.

“Unprecedented weather conditions in British Columbia continue to pose a serious threat to public safety and railway operations. The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting those affected by the devastating wildfires in British Columbia and will not hesitate to take any safety actions that are necessary to mitigate these risks to public safety and the integrity of railway tracks and infrastructure," Alghabra said in a government news release.

In regard to trains moving through Squamish, the District told The Chief CN committed to the following in an email to the mayor: 

*inspection of locomotives and other rail car equipment for mechanical issues; 

*review of electronic inspection equipment data that monitors trains for potential mechanical problems that could lead to sparks;

*make sure that work crews in the field are equipped with fire suppression equipment, including water pumps and foam to fight potential fires;

*all field employees will monitor trains as they pass looking for any issues that could spark a fire;

*patrols will precede and follow every train to inspect for any potential issues on the track ahead and sign of fire after each train passage. Those patrols will be equipped with fire suppression equipment. 

*proceed with additional clearance of vegetation.

"The District is pleased to see the additional safety measures being put in place by CN given the hot and dry conditions and the fire danger rating of 'high' to 'extreme,'" reads a statement to The Chief from District staff, the statement added that Elliott has expressed her concerns to CN via email about the risk of wildfire due to hot and dry conditions.

As a member of the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District board, Elliott also supported a motion to ask the provincial government to declare a provincial State of Emergency to restrict backcountry access of unregulated activities in extreme wildfire risk areas.

CN does not provide specific information about the goods on each train that move through town, the District said. 

"All train cars carrying hazardous materials are required under Transport Canada regulations to be labelled with placards specific to each hazardous materials being shipped. Squamish Fire Rescue is trained in hazardous materials response, which takes an all-hazards approach to hazardous materials incident response."

 To report any safety concerns about rail, call the CN police emergency line at 1.800.465.9239.  

~With files from Castanet, CBC

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