13 August 2007
Train Cars Leave Tracks in Keewatin
Keewatin Ontario - After a train derailment in Keewatin
late Sunday afternoon, some crossings were closed, but all should be opened early this afternoon.
Two cars on the Canadian Pacific tracks at the West Bay Road crossing (on the way to Shoal Lake Wild Rice) came off. One of the cars'
wheels were off the track, while another's came right off the bottom of the car, sliding the container forward onto the tracks. The
cars were carrying grain and were not emptied onto the ground when the accident took place.
Kenora OPP were on the scene when traffic was blocked and noted that crossing at Government Road, 1st West Bay Road and West Bay Road
were blocked for a short period. Only the West Bay Road crossing was still blocked at press time, but was expected to be opened around
noon today. The other crossings were closed four about four hours, opening after 9 p.m. Sunday evening.
Trains began moving on the eastbound track after crews were able to open up the route.
One local resident of Keewatin, Sharon Smith, heard the train stop abruptly on the tracks with an unusual loud sound. "You could
see that some of the cars had come off the tracks," she said. She said about three cars had been off the tracks when she looked.
This morning two of the train cars were off the track, while two others in between those, were still sitting on the tracks unable to
move.
Officials from Canadian Pacific head office could not be reached for press time.
Although no contents of the train cars had spilled, Smith, who's residence is close to the tracks, said the community is lucky. She
noted other accidents in Western Canada have polluted lakes. She said she wonders how the community would deal with a spill situation
which could be serious. "It's always at the back of your mind," she said. "It could have dumped something
worse."
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