Apparently some morons were out trying to sabotage the Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia Railway's operations on Monday evening. The New Glasgow News reported that someone left a propane tank on the tracks, apparently hoping the train would detonate it. The train did hit it but it did not explode. Propane tanks are a lot tougher than you think.
More seriously, someone sabotaged a switch near Maritime Steel and the train derailed. It seems it was a low speed derailment and not much damage was done, fortunately. I couldn't help thinking of the Stewiacke derailment of April 12, 2001 where a youth tampered with a switch and VIA's eastbound Ocean derailed. 22 of the 132 passengers were injured (9 seriously) but fortunately noone was killed. You can read the TSB report for full details. VIA's diner "Wascana" was destroyed. Fortunately dinner was not being served at the time.
The Stewiacke derailment led directly to the replacement of main-line switch locks with higher security locks, and also led to the removal of some sidings and spurs from the main lines of the class 1 railways to remove some possibility of sabotage.
Hopefully the police can find the perpetrator of these dangerous acts of vandalism and prevent him/her from any further crimes.
1 comment:
Hey Steve! Looks like the Kids are getting kicks the dangerous way?
Playing Chicken with Via`s Ocean,good thing this was still in the yard as he wasnt start to accelerate yet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXq1Yh7d4q8
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