A Canadian Pacific train near the crossing - Date/Photographer unknown.

1 June 2013

Teenager Killed by Train

Bow Island Alberta - A railway crossing in Bow Island that has been the focal point of safety for a couple of years was the scene of a fatality Friday when an 18-year-old girl was struck and killed by a westbound CPR train.
 
Bow Island mayor Gordon Reynolds said the community had been approved for crossing arms at the Centre Street crossing through Transport Canada and CP Rail a couple of years ago but for a variety of financial and other reasons including the fact there had been no fatalities the project has been on hold.
 
Now, the community is mourning the death of the girl who, according to the RCMP's preliminary investigation, was wearing earphones and reading at the time of crossing the tracks.
 
Cpl. Chris Zanidean of the Redcliff RCMP detachment, which was assisting the Bow Island RCMP, said the girl proceeded to cross the tracks despite flashing red lights at the crossing, alarm bells, and the train blowing its warning horn.
 
The Bow Island RCMP, along with members of the Redcliff and Taber detachments and a Lethbridge Traffic Services Collision analyst, responded to the call at 9:15 a.m. and were still on the scene at noon. Emergency medical personnel transported the girl to the Bow Island Health Centre where she was pronounced dead. RCMP will not be releasing the name of the deceased.
 
People around the community were shocked and in grief as they learned about the tragedy. Mayor Reynolds said the whole town is mourning the loss of the young girl.
 
"The initial reaction is everybody is shocked, everybody is dismayed and saddened to lose such a young member of our community," said Reynolds. "In small towns, we are all connected to each other in one way or another. We work together, we socialize together. This is going to hit everybody hard."
 
Reynolds said talk of construction of crossing arms at the Centre Street crossing involved the town, Transport Canada, and CP Rail, with all three sharing in the cost. "We rose up on the priority list but moved back down the list sadly, because there had been no fatalities," said Reynolds, who added that the cost of the crossing arms is between $90,000-$100,000, plus the cost of regular maintenance.
 
Bow Island RCMP Sgt. Shawn Hodgins said anybody who witnessed the collision and requires the help of Victim Services can contact the detachment at 403-545-2784.
 
Jamie Rieger.

Vancouver Island
British Columbia
Canada