8 June 2010

Train Derails Near Red Deer, Closes Highway 2A

Red Deer Alberta - A portion of Highway 2A is closed south of Red Deer as a result of an early-morning train derailment that saw five tanker cars carrying glycol jump the track, although a Canadian Pacific Railway official says there is no risk to public safety.
 
The five cars and a locomotive at the tail end of the Calgary-bound 80-car train went off the rails around 2 a.m., but did not spill their loads, said CP Rail spokeswoman Breanne Feigel.
 
"None of it is leaking, so there's no environmental concerns," she continued, adding the accident happened on CP Rail property and is not near any homes.
 
To aid the repair effort, a roughly 1.5-kilometer stretch of Highway 2A, which runs parallel to the affected track, has been shut down. The closure, about eight kilometres south of Red Deer, lies between Mackenzie Road and Lantern Street near Gasoline Alley. One lane could be reopened Wednesday, with the rest reopened on Thursday, Feigel said.
 
Russ Watts, operations manager for Alberta Transportation, said there are plenty of detours available, including Highway 2 just to the east of the affected area.
 
CP Rail has yet to determine what caused the derailment, but it is investigating with help from outside agencies such as the Transportation Safety Board.
 
The tanker cars that are off the tracks will need to be emptied and re-railed, while the track itself will probably need to be repaired, Feigel added.
 
Glycol is not considered a dangerous commodity, she said, although it can be toxic if ingested.
 
According to Health Canada's website, the odourless, colourless, substance is used in a variety of products from antifreeze to beauty products. However, glycol is considered "relatively non-volatile" and is water soluble.
 
Alberta Transportation originally reported the derailment occurred at 6:45 a.m.
 
Joe Fries.