Canadian National was able to reopen its main line through Jasper, Alberta, this afternoon while keeping a close eye on a pair of wildfires that have been threatening the resort town.
“CN resumed rail operations at approximately 12 Noon MST on Wednesday, July 24, through Jasper. In collaboration with the Unified Incident Command centre managed by Parks Canada, CN developed and implemented an operational plan that allows trains to safely travel through the area to ensure that goods could continue moving,” CN spokeswoman Ashley Michnowski says. “In addition to the continued efforts of CN’s Trident firefighting train, a second firefighting train, Neptune, is on route to the Jasper area to assist in maintaining track safety and fire fighting efforts.”
CN said it has offered its support to Jasper and Parks Canada to assist in mutual efforts in fighting the wildfire where possible. It also has provided 20,000 liters of fuel to Jasper Park Lodge and offered assistance to Valemount, British Columbia, where Jasper residents – including CN employees and their families – headed after an evacuation order was issued on Monday night.
The reopening of the main line will help CN ease a backlog of traffic that had built up since the railway began shutting down operations earlier this week.
On Monday night local officials ordered an evacuation of Jasper and Jasper National Park. More than 25,000 people have evacuated the park and the town that’s a CN division point, according to the Edmonton Journal.
Data from RailState, a firm that monitors rail traffic through a sensor network located along main lines in Canada and the U.S., shows the extent of the congestion as CN had been forced to hold trains in British Columbia and Alberta.
“This is a major disruption and comes at a particularly vulnerable time,” RailState Chief Commercial Officer John Schmitter said. “There are other large fires threatening rail lines right now and months remaining on fire season.”