(The following story by Paul Turenne appeared on the Winnipeg Sun website on April 26. M.G. Gordon is a member of Teamsters Canada Rail Conference Division 76 in Winnipeg.)
WINNIPEG — Mickey Gordon knows the kind of damage trains can do and doesn’t want to see it happen. Gordon has been a locomotive engineer with CP Rail for nearly 20 years and has been in a few collisions, including one where his train nailed a grader that was stuck on the tracks and sent it sailing into the ditch.
“What I remember most is the expression on the driver’s face,” said Gordon, noting that the driver somehow escaped the crash with only minor injuries.
OFF LIMITS
Operation Lifesaver, an organization funded by government and the railway industry, is sponsoring Rail Safety Week this week and as part of it, Gordon and his CP colleagues will be hitting a few Winnipeg schools to let kids know the tracks should be considered off limits.
With an average main-line train weighing 230 tonnes, the tracks are no place for a stroll.
“Six years ago I almost ran over a high school student who was using the track as a shortcut,” he said. “He was wearing a walkman and couldn’t hear the train coming.”
Gordon’s train was barreling down the CPR Emerson line near Island Lakes when he saw the teenager. He honked a warning, but it went unheeded.
His conductor finally threw a water bottle at the teen, who jumped out of the way as it landed at his feet.
“The only reason I didn’t hit him was because my conductor has a good throwing arm,” said Gordon.
According to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, 100 people were killed by trains in Canada last year.
“Collisions with people do happen, so we want people to respect railway property,” said Const. Claude Beaudry of CP Rail Police.
People trespassing on train tracks could face a $180 fine, and frequent offenders, who Beaudry said are often transients wanting to catch a free lift, could face a $10,000 fine and a year in prison, he said.
CP staff will visit Niakwa Place and West St. Paul schools this week to share their safety message.
CN police will be conducting “safety blitzes” throughout the week and will have a safety display set up at Grant Park Mall on Thursday. Operation Lifesaver will also have a kiosk set up at the Children’s Museum this week.