I am somewhat reluctant to post this link, since it will no doubt create the usual collection of rants, but figure it will appear sooner or later anyway. The comments after the article have the expected proportion of ignorance of railroads by the general public.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/cp-derailment-investigation-coverup-alleged-1.5436018
The now ex-CPR police constable is claiming he was removed from investigating the derailment because of a "cover-up". To which I have two comments.
The first is that the Transportation Safety Board of Canada is doing an investigation of the event and everything leading up to it, and that will almost certainly be deep and thorough. The second is that the complainant is no more qualified in the critical technical aspects of railway brake systems, material behaviour in bitter cold and age degradation than I, and virtually all posters on this forum. In other words, he did not have the knowledge and qualifications to carry out a proper investigation.
As to why he resigned or was fired, I have no idea. Likely there were other factors involved.
John
You and I think alike, I posted it to the other thread at the same time.
Even if I didn't post it, you are right that someone else would have.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
Wasn't Dylan Paradis a poster here?
The red flag in this tale, to me, is that the employee in question wanted to do a 'fishing expedition' on the audio files -- a search, in essence, for any potential smoking guns that might bolster a claim of negligence. Assuredly TCA will find plenty of instances of these, relevant or otherwise, during their work.
The question does remain as implied, however: were the physical records 'redacted' before the TCA could access them? Perhaps the TV show will include more specificity on the "computer files" that were supposedly replaced from backup several times, only to 'suspiciously' disappear again.
I won't say I smell a plug for the TV show rather than actual newsworthiness, but my sense is tingling...
Overmod Wasn't Dylan Paradis a poster here?
Do you recall what his screen name was? I don't recall spotting anyone besides John who appeared to be a CP employee from Alberta.
Overmod The red flag in this tale, to me, is that the employee in question wanted to do a 'fishing expedition' on the audio files -- a search, in essence, for any potential smoking guns that might bolster a claim of negligence. Assuredly TCA will find plenty of instances of these, relevant or otherwise, during their work. The question does remain as implied, however: were the physical records 'redacted' before the TCA could access them? Perhaps the TV show will include more specificity on the "computer files" that were supposedly replaced from backup several times, only to 'suspiciously' disappear again. I won't say I smell a plug for the TV show rather than actual newsworthiness, but my sense is tingling...
The first anniversary of this disaster is coming up. Of course this is a plug, but the Fifth Estate usually does a pretty good job in their documentaries.
This would be far from the first case where evidence like recordings and train/repair documentation has suspiciously been modified or 'become unavailable'. Most of the cases are low-profile employee investigations that never see the public light.
Not to go too far off-topic, CN had a runaway coal train in 2008 that they never reported to Transport Canada or the TSB. That 'omission' only came to light after another runaway on the same 3% grade a couple years ago.
The illustration in that article confuses me. Is there track hidden by the graphic block bearing the word "derailment?" And in which direction was the runaway going?
The train was going from Wapta Lake to Field (using the names on the illustration). Yes the graphic block hides the track, but the schematic is not too accurate for the tunnel portals.
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