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Derailment site cleared but heavy rain sees further suspension of service

Jul 10, 2018 | 5:00 PM

VIA rail says the site of the derailment north of Hudson Bay last week is cleared and repaired, although their service through north central Manitoba remains suspended due to heavy rains elsewhere.

Sixteen passengers and five crew members were on the train which travels the route from Winnipeg to Gillam, when two locomotives and a baggage car derailed Thursday. There were only minor injuries.

A spokesman for the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) said the train hit a section of track that had washed out.

A photo released by the TSB in the aftermath of the incident shows the two locomotives on their side as well as the baggage car behind which is off the rails. The five passenger cars and rear locomotive remain upright.

While VIA Rail has not specified a cause of the incident, the image shows an area of pooling water to the right and what appears to be a washed out area of track underneath the fourth car.

The derailment site is very remote without road access and the TSB has not released any further details.

Via Rail announced Tuesday in a media release that the regular service remains suspended because of heavy rains in the Wabowden area between The Pas and Thompson that had caused water levels to rise in certain areas.

–With files from The Canadian Press

 

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