FIELD – The Transportation Safety Board is investigating an incident east of Field B.C. that sent 16 empty freight rail cars off the tracks on Thursday (Jan. 3) morning.
According to CP Rail spokesperson Salem Woodrow, at approximately 11:10 a.m. a freight train derailed eight kilometres east of Field, along the Alberta-B.C. border.
In an email, Woodrow indicated there were no injuries as a result of the derailment, and no public safety concerns. The cause of the incident remains under investigation, she added.
Transportation Safety Board investigators also responded to the site, which was at the Upper Spiral Tunnel in Yoho National Park.
Regional senior investigator Don Crawford said the 16 rail cars were empty at the time of the derailment, however it occurred inside the Spiral Tunnel.
"The derailment itself happened inside the tunnel," he said. "That creates a problem itself for cleanup and recovery. It is a bit more difficult and time consuming to do.
"These cars tried to jack-knife, but could only go so far before they butted-up against the walls of the tunnel."
CP Rail crews continue to work to open the railway line, with a temporary track being installed to accommodate rail traffic that has been backing up eastbound and westbound since Thursday morning.
The investigation will continue into the cause of the incident, added Crawford, including information requests from CP Rail into the maintenance history of the cars involved.
"We are looking for contributing factors, so it is a fairly broad view initially until we start narrowing it down," he said. "At this point, we do not have a specific cause."
