Brothers and Sisters,
 
This morning there was another CPRail derailment, this one carrying dangerous commodities.  Downtown Canmore, AB saw a number of cars on the ground (we are getting conflicting reports) some with Glycol and some with Butane.  The Glycol has been reported to be leaking and local businesses, hotels and a high school were evacuated. The evacuation order has now been lifted and the leaks are contained.
 
Though the direct cause is still under investigation, we have been told that its a possible track defect.
 
Once again I want to stress how lucky we were this time.  Lucky that it wasn't a bigger leak lucky it wasn't anhydrous ammonia (which killed a man in Red Deer in an earlier derailment a few years ago) or propane or any number of other extremely dangerous commodities. We are lucky that no one was hurt... but luck does not hold out forever. 
 
CPRail is running a skeleton maintenance force at the moment and has projected a decrease in the TP&E budget for next year.  This means that more and more vital upkeep, maintenance and infrastructure renewal will be put off. This means that the infrastructure will continue to deteriorate and that the risks will continue to rise. 
 
Maybe, just maybe, this latest brush with disaster will be enough to open the eyes of upper management to the need for more maintenance forces, not less. To the need for more investment in track renewal, not less.  For the need, especially now, to never put profits over safety. For the need to no longer depend on good luck and gravity to keep our railway safe. Its time to stop spinning statistics and start realistically investing in a safe and productive rail system.
 
Stay safe, stay strong, stay united
 
Bill Brehl
President
TCRC MWED
 
 
 
Derailment evacuation order lifted in Alta.
9 cars jumped tracks in Canmore Monday morning
 
Canwest News ServiceJanuary 26, 2009 2:01 PM
 
CANMORE, Alta. - Nine railcars derailed in the western Alberta town of Canmore Monday morning, forcing a temporary evacuation of nearby businesses and a high school, CP Rail said.
Breanne Feigel, a CP spokeswoman, said seven derailed cars contained butane and two contained glycol, a chemical commonly found in antifreeze. The cars derailed around 6:45 a.m.

RCMP Sgt. Patrick Webb confirmed businesses and Canmore Collegiate High School had been evacuated as a precautionary measure, but that the evacuation order had been lifted.

One of the cars carrying glycol had a small leak, said Feigel, but the leak was limited to CP property.

Feigel said the 80-car train had been headed west from Calgary toward Vancouver when it derailed.

Rail traffic was diverted to other lines.

Canmore, a resort town in the eastern Rockies, is about 100 kilometres west of Calgary.