Crude oil covered CP 9015 and 9018 at rest in Winnipeg.

23 May 2011

Alberta Grade Crossing Incident and Subsequent Fire

Last week, CP 9015 and 9018 along with a GE unit arrived at Winnipeg following an incident.
 
They hit a tank truck loaded with crude oil somewhere between Suffield and Tilley, Alberta.
 
The train crew survived but the truck driver did not.
 
The photo above shows CP 9015, the lead unit, covered in crude oil.
 
Not seen is the damage on CP 9018.
 
About half a dozen right side engine room carbody doors were extensively damaged.
 
An attempt to clean the oil off in the washrack failed so now an outside contractor will be hired to remove the gunk.
 
Following that, the units will head to Progress Rail for repair.
 

A large cloud of thick black smoke rises from the scene of the accident.

13 May 2011

Thick Black Smoke Seen Rising from Site of Fatal Crash

Brooks Alberta - Large clouds of smoke could be seen from the TransCanada Highway near Brooks, Alberta Thursday morning.
 
A Global viewer says he was about 30 minutes east of Brooks when he noticed the black smoke on the horizon.
 
Just before 10:00 a.m., an eastbound freight train struck a tanker truck carrying crude oil a level crossing on Range Road 115 near Suffield.
 
The driver of the truck was killed.
 
"The tanker truck exploded on contact," Canadian Pacific spokesman Mike LoVecchio said.
 
The crossing was equipped with signs but had no flashing warning lights or arms.
 
The Canadian Pacific train was carrying mixed freight from Calgary to Eastern Canada and had no regulated commodities so no evacuations were required. The train was not derailed.
 
Two train crew, an engineer and conductor, were taken to Brooks hospital as a precaution due to exposure to fumes. They were otherwise not injured.
 
The fire continued to burn until 3:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon.
 
It's not yet known if the tanker truck crossed into the path of the train or was sitting on the tracks as the train approached.
 
Even if the train crew had spotted the truck from a distance, it can take a freight train more than a kilometre to stop even under emergency braking.
 
Crews are now assessing the trains condition and do not know when the line and road will reopen.
 
Authorities have not released the name of the deceased tanker truck driver. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash.