A view down the railway tracks by the Canadian Pacific Railway Mortlach station - 26 Oct 1965 Photographer unknown - Moose Jaw Public Library General Photograph Collection 68-344.

22 November 2011

CP Train Derails at Mortlach

Mortlach Saskatchewan - An investigation has been launched after a Canadian Pacific Railway train derailed at Mortlach on Sunday.
 
The incident at about 7:30 a.m. saw 14 cars derail from the westbound freight train on the eastern edge of the town.
 
"They all contained grain so there were no injuries or environmental concerns or risks to the surrounding community of Mortlach and no regulated commodities were involved," Kevin Hrysak, spokesman for CP, said.
 
He said the train was travelling from the US to Lethbridge and then onto the coast.
 
The cause of the derailment is not yet known.
 
"Right now we are working with all the agencies involved and it is still under investigation.
 
"With these incidents, every one is unique, so we work with Transport Canada and the Transport Safety Board (of Canada) and determinations can take a week up to a year to come back with a cause," he said.
 
Hrysak said there were no injuries to the crew.
 
"We did relieve them of duty and get a new crew out there to clean it. By 9:30 p.m. Sunday, they started normal operations. There are still some derailed cars in the area, which will be cleaned up this week."
 
Hrysak said derailments are not a common occurrence but do happen from time to time.
 
Rebecca Lawrence.