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  • Fatal Accident in BC

  • Discussion relating to the Canadian National, past and present. Also includes discussion of Illinois Central and Grand Trunk Western and other subsidiary roads (including Bessemer & Lake Erie and the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway). Official site: WWW.CN.CA
Discussion relating to the Canadian National, past and present. Also includes discussion of Illinois Central and Grand Trunk Western and other subsidiary roads (including Bessemer & Lake Erie and the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway). Official site: WWW.CN.CA

Moderators: Komachi, Ken V

 #263932  by lock4244
 
Another BC derailment, and sadly with two fatalities:

Link to the CTV story: http://tinyurl.com/nydpb


Two dead, one injured in B.C. train derailment
30/06/2006 8:46:34 AM

Two CN Rail crew members are dead and a third has been taken to hospital for treatment of injuries resulting from a train derailment in B.C.'s Fraser Valley.

The train went off the tracks in B.C.'s Fraser Valley at about 8 p.m. ET Thursday, said CN spokesperson Jim Feeny.

"A local freight service consisting of one locomotive and one loaded lumber car derailed approximately (40 kilometres) north of Lillooet. Preliminary indications are that no dangerous commodities are involved. However, CN deeply regrets to confirm that two crew members were fatally injured in the incident," Feeny said.

A third crew member has been taken to a hospital in Kamloops, and is listed in stable condition.

Thursday's accident is the latest in a long string or derailments in B.C.

Last August, nine CN cars carrying toxic chemicals used to make paper and detergents tumbled into a canyon, devastating fish stocks in the area.

A few months later, 10 cars derailed near Squamish.

And in 2002, two CN workers were killed when a train burst into flames after it derailed near McBride, B.C.

In 2005, there were at least 21 derailments in B.C. Twelve of those were considered major.

In the wake of the accidents the federal transport minister at the time, Jean Lapierre, ordered CN to cut down the length of its trains on certain sections of track. He also warned he would call a public inquiry into the company's operations if its record didn't improve.

The cause of Thursday's derailment is not yet known, though officials are currently on the scene and an investigation is underway.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Michelle Simick

 #264112  by cpr_trains
 
-=*warning: extreme sarcasm and contempt*=-

Ladies and Gentlemen, let us all stand and give a warm round of applause to E. Hunter Harrison for his incredibly enlightened approach to running a railway. Let us laud his decision to remove those with railroading experience in and around certain parts of the See-Enn network in favour of Home-grown Home-wood good 'ol boys. Without this, we couldn't run trains that are longer than ever before, breaching recommended safety practices and regulations, in order to yield a "crucial" and "significant" gain of less than few hundred dollars for our stockholders.

-=*end of extreme sarcasm and contempt*=-

Looks as though the reason "Why We Work"** is entirely because the safety and lives of two crewmembers have clearly become expendible for the needs of the bottom line in the eyes of CEO Harrison. Way to go, jackass.

**reference to elementary school format booklet from CN management to employees titled "Why We Work"

 #264159  by 2spot
 
Just saw a news report on the incident. The locomotive (CN 9606 a GP-40-2L(w)) is laying facing downgrade, burned out on the side of an unbelievably steep cliff face about 40 kilometeres north of Lillooet, BC. Its hard to believe anybody survived this wreck. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of all three men. I apologise if this is too graphic.

 #264202  by Clique of One
 
The CEO responds to the tragedy and has the gaul to make this statement!
"The cause of the derailment is currently under investigation by CN and government authorities."
Whatever the findings, there will be the usual Buck Passing.

Clique of One.
A proud Canadian in the Signal Department of the Canadian National Railways.


To all employees. / À tous les membres du personnel.


Please pass this message on to your employees who do not have access to
e-mail. However, to be environmentally responsible, please do not print copies
unnecessarily./ Veuillez transmettre ce message à tous ceux et celles qui
n'ont pas accès au courrier électronique. Toutefois, par souci de
l'environnement, nous vous demandons de ne pas imprimer ce texte inutilement.
* * *


TOM DODD AND DONALD FAULKNER
_____________________________

I am profoundly saddened to inform you of a fatal accident that occurred on
Thursday June 29, when one of our trains derailed at a location 25 miles north
of Lillooet, in British Columbia's Fraser Valley.

Of the three-man crew, two were fatally injured. Conductor Tom Dodd, of Cache
Creek, BC, was 55 and had been with BC Rail/CN since 1987. Conductor Donald
Faulkner, of Savona, BC, was 59 and had been with BC Rail/CN since 1987.

Engineer Gordon Rhodes was taken to a hospital in Kamloops, where he was
released today. We wish Gordon well for a complete and rapid recovery.

The cause of the derailment is currently under investigation by CN and
government authorities.

This tragic accident is distressing for us all, and the entire company joins
me in expressing our deepest sorrow and condolences to the families, friends
and colleagues of Mr. Dodds and Mr. Faulkner.

As we think about the families of our two colleagues, and of our own families,
I would like to urge all employees to pay the utmost attention to safety as we
perform our work.


E. Hunter Harrison
President and CEO

06/30/2006
************************************************************************


TOM DODD ET DONALD FAULKNER
____________________________

C'est avec beaucoup de tristesse que je dois vous annoncer qu'un de nos trains
a déraillé le jeudi 29 juin et qu'il y a des morts et un blessé parmi nos
collègues. L'accident est survenu à environ 25 milles au nord de Lillooet,
située dans la vallée du Fraser en Colombie-Britannique.

Deux des membres de l'équipe, composée de trois hommes, ont perdu la vie. Tom
Dodd, chef de train, de Cache Creek, en Colombie-Britannique, était âgé de 55
ans et il était au service du BC Rail/CN depuis 1987. Donald Faulkner, chef
de train, de Savona, en Colombie-Britannique, était âgé de 59 ans et il
travaillait au BC Rail/CN depuis 1987.

Gordon Rhodes, mécanicien de locomotive, a été transporté à l'hôpital de
Kamloops d'où il a obtenu son congé aujourd'hui. Nous offrons à Gordon nos
v?ux de prompt rétablissement.

Le CN et les autorités gouvernementales mènent actuellement une enquête pour
déterminer la cause du déraillement.

Cette nouvelle nous atteint tous profondément, et je sais que tous les membres
du personnel se joignent à moi pour exprimer notre chagrin et nos plus
sincères condoléances aux familles de M. Dodds et de M. Faulkner, ainsi qu'à
leurs amis et collègues.

En pensant aux familles de nos deux collègues, et à nos proches, il importe de
se rappeler l'importance de redoubler d'attention et de maintenir notre
concentration sur l'exécution de nos tâches en toute sécurité.


E. Hunter Harrison
Président-directeur général

06/30/2006

 #264298  by Aji-tater
 
I don't get it - why the venomous blasts against the company when the cause is not known? If it was preventable, maybe OK, but if it was a landslide or something of natural cause the anger is premature. It is a tragedy either way and my thoughts go out to those involved.

 #264313  by 2spot
 
The cause was mechanical. The locomotive and a loaded bulkhead ran away. They were in a relatively steep canyon with some tight curves. When the locie jumped the tracks it went into the canyon and caught fire. The fire was originally spotted as a forest fire at a distance. A search was initiated by CN when communication was lost with the crew. An onboard event recorder will help identify what happened to cause this. The crew on this were experienced men. The engineer is extremely lucky to be alive. http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/news.html

 #264372  by 2spot
 
The Vancouver Sun article has two pictures. http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/index.html (scroll down about halfway ) Click the heading to see the article then click 'next' under the first picture, then full size it.

 #265048  by 2spot
 
Photos (slideshow) of the wreck site are at this link: http://www.utubc.com/mile183 Sorry to keep posting this tragedy but I want to keep this as current as I can without inserting my own feelings into these posts. You can draw your own conclusions. > Sorry. Apparently the link is no longer up, I hope some of you saw it.

 #266816  by 2spot
 
The black box from CN 9606 was destroyed in the wreckage. To date they havent located the GP-40s trucks.