Vol. 17 No. 4
April, 1987
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Stay Safe in 87
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Years of Mining Experience Gives Penner "Right
Stuff"
By Tana
Hobbs
Rogers Pass, B.C. - When CP Rail began searching for a person with the
"right stuff" to supervise excavation of North America's longest railway tunnel, they were looking for
someone special. Pete Penner, with 20 years of mining experience on other mega-projects, fit the bill.
Having worked on the Revelstoke, Mica Creek, and Peace Canyon dams in British Columbia, the James Bay
hydro-electric project, the Freeport Copper project in Indonesia, and the Churchill Falls
hydro-electric project, Mr. Penner, 51, brought with him a wealth of engineering know-how.
"What intrigued me most about the Rogers Pass Project was the length of tunnelling involved," Mr. Penner
said. "I worked on a 1.6-km powerhouse tunnel at Churchill Falls but that was nothing compared to
this. A tunnel boring machine on site provided additional incentive. It was the first chance I'd had to work with
one."
Mr. Penner, who was graduated from the University of Manitoba with a bachelor of science degree, heads a team of 20
CP Rail inspectors and oversees quality control for all underground work. In addition to the 14.6-km
Mount Macdonald Tunnel, his responsibilities include the 349-metre ventilation shaft and the
1.8-km Mount Shaughnessy Tunnel.
SERIOUS BUSINESS
"Tunnelling is serious business and special care must be taken to ensure the safety of all miners. Preventive
measures such as mine rescue teams, safety miners (first-aid attendants) on each shift, special
avalanche control procedures, and constant communication have made for an outstanding safety record."
The highlight for Mr. Penner and his crew was the Mount Macdonald Tunnel breakthrough ceremony
24 Oct 1986.
When asked whether he ever doubted that the two tunnel headings would meet in the centre, Mr. Penner replied:
"It's like having a baby. Even with modern medical technology, parents don't relax until the child is
born."
"Overcoming obstacles such as unexpected water levels in the ventilation shaft and unstable ground at the 90
percent completion point on the top heading of the short tunnel have provided unexpected engineering challenges. But
the rock we're tunnelling through has proven to be more competent than predicted and faults and water problems
inside the long tunnel never materialized."
This CP Rail News article is copyright
1987 by the Canadian Pacific Railway and is reprinted here with their
permission. All photographs, logos, and trademarks are the property of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Company.
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