Another CN Derailment

Thursday, September 01, 2005 04:03 AM

CN Rail wrapped up the month of August with another train derailment, this time in the Fraser Valley near Cheam.

There were 2 locomotives and 97 cars, the cargo was dry sulphur. No one hurt.

The wreck brings the number of CN derailments in August to 6, and so far this year, there have been more than 70.

Transport Minister Jean Lapierre has called for a review of CN's safety management systems, and an audit of the rail company's maintenance records.

The month started with the August 3rd derailment at Lake Wabamun in Alberta, then there was the wreck near Squamish, followed by a mudslide near Boston Bar that pushed three cars off the line. The Hixon derailment happened on the 19th, and just east of Hinton Alberta three days ago, 10 cars jumped the tracks.

CN says it spent $800 million dollars on track maintenance last year, which was a full one hundred million more than it spent in the previous year.