12 August 2010

Woman 80 Halts Freight Train

Tottenham Ontario - Following a bizarre incident that brought a fully loaded freight train to a halt last week near Tottenham, CP Rail and the OPP are once again warning about the dangers of trespassing on railway tracks.
 
In last week's incident, an 80-year-old Beeton woman drove her car around two barricades on the closed Fifth Line of New Tecumseth, navigated around some railway ties that had been removed for repairs to the tracks, and tried to drive across the under-repair tracks, whereupon her car became lodged on the tracks.
 
Luckily for the lady, CP Rail became aware of the hazard in time to stop an advancing freight that was moving slower than normal because of the track repairs.
 
Although she and her car escaped injury, she is facing charges of driving without a licence, and driving on a closed highway.
 
CP Rail and police appear to be less than amused by the incident.
 
According to the railway, it can take a fully loaded freight train travelling at 100 km/h up to two kilometres to come to a full stop once the brakes are applied.
 
It's not possible to stop in time to avoid a pedestrian or motor vehicle on the tracks in normal circumstances unless the operators can be warned in time.
 
Only a couple of weeks ago, an 11-year-old is reported to have become trapped on a trestle near Angus while a train was approaching. Luckily in that incident, the train was able to stop, but not before members of Nottawasaga OPP had risked their own lives to rescue the child in case the train couldn't stop.
 
In 2009, Transport Canada recorded 70 trespassing incidents at railways, including 52 fatalities, and 15 serious injuries.
 
Trespassing on railway property and tracks, "aside from being illegal, is just dangerous and risky behaviour that people need to stop doing", CP Rail spokesman Randy Marsh said.
 
Wes Keller.