Incident at Durand

[NYCMan]

Last week, apparently there was an incident at Durand where a GLC hi-rail operated over the CN trackage without authority crossing the diamond in front of CN Train M398 causing the train to go into emergency. Also understand that the GLC employee was not qualified to be on CN trackage to begin with. Anyone know any more of the particulars?

[Steve B]

This should probably be treated as a railfan rumor unless authoritative evidence emerges.

In the first place, how could and why would GLC run a hi-railer on that stretch of track? HESR owns from Legion Rd to Durand, and CN from Durand to Pittsburg Rd. There is nothing that is GLC's business to maintain on that section.

[CR Cabanaw]

It did happen. Apparently he was given permission into Durand Yard and assumed it meant CP Durand. PTC stopped the CN train.

[Steve B]

I still don't understand why GLC would have been hi-railing another company's line. Certainly not to save time-- it would only take about 20 minutes to get from San to Pitt (the endpoints of their trackage) by highway. And let's say an engine crew in Durand needed assistance from a company truck. That wouldn't require hi-railing.

[Ypsi]

Never under estimate a railroaders laziness.. jokes aside there are some reasons that a truck would need to be used on this track, one being employee qualifying for MOW or even train crews. If GLC needs to move MOW stuff that’s theoretically the only way. MOW can create some weird scenarios.

[kckorienek]

It was a tamper and regulator that was moving north from Pitt, that equipment shunts where hyrail trucks do not, and they cannot easily just get off the tracks and drive down the road like a hyrail truck.