Quote:
Originally Posted by Acey
The rail bridge over Deerfoot down there looks to be in such horrific shape, all rusted and crap. I'm sure it's fine structurally but it looks like it'll come crashing down at any moment.
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If you're talking about the rail bridge that crosses Deerfoot in north of Glenmore and before the Calf Robe Bridge, it's not even owned by CP. That's CN's bridge that allows them to come down into the industrial park, and I'm no bridge inspector but as far as I know it's just fine. Modern railway bridges (and highway bridges) are often made of unpainted steel that oxidizes to a rusty colour, but the presence of surface rust does not at all mean that the bridge is in disrepair.
Inspection of railway bridges (as almost everyone knows by now given this morning's events) is governed by federal mandate. That doesn't mean it's the Federals Government's job to inspect them; that responsibility belongs to the railway that owns the bridge. What it means is simply that the Federal Government dictates to the railways how often the bridges must be inspected and what type of inspections must be performed. If a railway is not in compliance with these regulations they risk heavy fines or the possibility of being shut down by Transport Canada, so you'd think that it would be in CP's best interest to make sure the inspections are being done. Certainly there will be an investigation into all of this and that will tell the tale in more detail.
In the meantime, Nenshi really should stop spouting off in the media about things he doesn't fully understand. I get that he's probably exhausted and frustrated and he's done an excellent job of handling this crisis so far, but a lot of the stuff he said in his conference this morning simply isn't true. Yes, CP has laid off a lot of people, but it hasn't had any effect on their ability to comply with federal regulations. Second, (and this is what really pisses me off) it's not just "his" guys who are out there "risking their lives." He makes it sound like CP is just standing back with their hands in their pockets while the city saves the day. I know people who have been out of bed since the call first came in dealing with this, and I guarantee you it's not city crews who are out stringing cables between those railcars on the bridge or transloading the product. As for the issue of regulation - if you consider the number of communities our railways pass through and the myriad different restrictions they would be subject to if municipal regulations applied to them, it would be a miracle if they could ever turn a wheel. It's a damn good thing they are federally regulated, and despite the recent rash of issues at CP, rail remains by far the safest method of transportation so they must be doing something right.