4 April 2008
Lake Louise Derailment Impacts Local Rail Traffic
Crowsnest Pass Alberta - Local railway enthusiasts, as
well as those keen enough to notice such things, may have noticed a marked increase in the number of trains rumbling through the
Crowsnest Pass late last week.
The sharp increase in traffic was due to a large derailment that occurred on CP's northern mainline in Yoho National Park near Lake
Louise, Alberta on Wednesday afternoon - close to the world famous Spiral Tunnels.
According to a source with Canadian Pacific, a westbound potash train derailed mid-train, caused 15
fully-loaded cars and two mid-train locomotives to leave the tracks.
A quantity of potash was spilled which was subsequently contained and cleaned up by on-scene crews.
As a result, all of CP's traffic west of Medicine Hat has been rerouted through the Crowsnest Pass, as well as on CN's main line
through Jasper.
The rerouting meant a severe backlog of rail traffic across Canada, as the closure of the northern, faster route through the Rockies
meant funneling trains through the slower Crowsnest Pass route.
According to Canadian Pacific spokesperson Breanne Feigel, Canadian Pacific had the derailment site cleaned up by Sunday, and no
injuries were sustained.
"Potash is not a regulated commodity and it's not a danger," Feigel said. "We don't expect any environmental damage and
right now we're focusing on cleanup and recovery."
Potash is a compound most commonly used as a component in fertilizer, and is commonly hauled through the
Pass.
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