Here on Vancouver Island we recently had a large(for the island) dumping of snow. The snow was causing all sorts of operational head aches for the E&N. Starting on Friday Jan.7, heavy snow and strong winds brought 300 trees down across the tracks between Victoria and Nanaimo, passenger service was suspended from Friday to Sunday while crews cleared the trees and plowed the line. The morning after the plow train cleared the line, the following Monday, the northbound passenger train derailed in a crossing at near mile 3. Water had filled the flangeways after the plow train headed north again and froze. There was little damage to the Budd Car(6135). Monday night, the E&N sent GP38 3870 down to Victoria to clear out the ice from the flange ways. It left going north on Tuesday Jan.11 at 6:45 the next morning ahead of VIA 6148 on the regular passenger train. The crew on 3809, with the Duncan Turn had to dig out the siding at Cassidy for a meet with VIA 6148. Things seemed to be back to normal by the next day but the cold was still causing problems. 6148 broke down near Qualicum Beach on Thursday, Jan. 13, and was hauled back to Victoria on Friday by the freight train.
As for today, most of the snow has melted, the temperature has risen to about 14 degrees celcius, and now the E&N is worried about washouts caused by the constant down pour of rain and the rapidly melting snow. 6148 is running fine now.
[This message has been edited by ENR3809 (edited 01-21-2005).]
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