2 pile ups in same area in three weeks? Is this an indication that the trains are too long for this segment of RR travel? The engineer is repored to have 20 + years experience so why? One report I read said train was doing 60+ MPH but we will need to find out if that is true?
Frtunate the highway bridge was not damaged or taken out.
I too offer my thoughts, prayers, condolences, but none of those will bring back the dead. RIP, and let us hope this never happens again.
Some additional info:
https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/three-cp-rail-crew-members-killed-in-train-derailment-near-field-b-c-1.4281571
As in 1997 it looks like sections of the train derailed in several places, including underneath the Highway 1 overpass and directly in front of the Spiral Tunnels tourist lookout. It is likely that there is wreckage piled up inside the tunnels too.
From information posted on another forum it appears that this train had already run into issues, this crew had relieved the original crew online. All this happened around 1:00 AM, with the temperature below -30°C. The engineer and conductor were both killed on impact, the trainee lasted longer but died with the medics. The lead locomotive is in the Kicking Horse River somewhere, I can't find it in any of the photos or footage.
Their last report was that they were about to enter the Upper Spiral Tunnel at nearly 50 mph.
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
Thank You.
Condolences to the families of those involved. Virtually any 'hack' of a engineer can get his train to climb a mountain - eventually. This incident high lights that the real skills of a engineer are demonstrated in getting trains down grades safely.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
First off, I want to offer my condolences to the families of the crew members.
This is one tough place to run a railway. Unfortunately, the CPR has been paying the price to play in the big leagues for a 110 years now on The Big Hill.
Bruce
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll.
"A Train is a Place Going Somewhere" CP Rail Public Timetable
"O. S. Irricana"
. . . __ . ______
FIELD, British Columbia — Three Canadian Pacific employees are dead after an early-morning wreck east of Field. According to media reports, a westbound grain train derailed while descending Kicking Horse Pass at approximately 1 a.m. Monday. Be...
http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2019/02/04-three-dead-in-cp-derailment-in-british-columbia
Brian Schmidt, Editor, Classic Trains magazine
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