Western Railroad Discussion > CN Bridge fire in Minnesota

A fire destroyed a wooden trestle on CN's Ranier Subdivision over the Rat Root River. This is just east of International Falls, MN and just south of the border with Canada. A southbound train came around a curve and spotted the fire and applied Emergency braking, unfortunately stopping with part of the train on the trestle. Before the crew could get the train restarted the trestle collapsed. The line sees approx. 24 trains per day. This is part of CN's West Coast to Chicago mainline.  Story with photo here;

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_28200119/railroad-bridge-fire-collapse-disrupts-canadian-route



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/27/15 23:13 by SOO6617.

DW&P main.  Looks to be at least 24 hours looking at the damage.  Is there a way to reroute traffic or do you think they'll just hold trains.  Curious to hear from those in the know.
Steve B.

stevelv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> DW&P main.  Looks to be at least 24 hours looking
> at the damage.  Is there a way to reroute traffic
> or do you think they'll just hold trains.
>  Curious to hear from those in the know.
> Steve B.

No handy detour route I can think of. Priority intermodal traffic could be sent the long way via Toronto? Or use CP's ex-Soo Line across North Dakota? Suspect most traffic will be held.
 

toledopatch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> stevelv Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > DW&P main.  Looks to be at least 24 hours
> looking
> > at the damage.  Is there a way to reroute
> traffic
> > or do you think they'll just hold trains.
> >  Curious to hear from those in the know.
> > Steve B.
>
> No handy detour route I can think of. Priority
> intermodal traffic could be sent the long way via
> Toronto? Or use CP's ex-Soo Line across North
> Dakota? Suspect most traffic will be held.
>  
They could use the old GN route out of Winnepeg, then via the old NP
o the Twin Cities and get on the former Wisconsin Central there.  The
question is, do they want to pay the BNSF detour rates?

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

We are getting lots of reroutes on the GTW because of this, good for our business but bad for theirs!

Posted from iPhone

Cn westbound through La Crosse WI this morning, 199, two CN 8800s for power, must have came on at New Lisbon WI

Posted from iPhone

Within the past decade CN has detoured between Winnipeg and Superior WI via BNSF (Noyes, MN to Crookstoon, MN to Cass Lake to Superior).  Have no idea if anything is moving via that route in the current situation.