Submerged Rail Cars

CP may wait until August before pulling submerged rail cars
Published: July 12, 2008
Source: Canadian Press
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A view of a CP railway car, which lies on an embankment near Lytton, B.C. July 2, 2008.

A helicopter view of two CP railcars that jumped the tracks near the Thompson River. July 2, 2008.

VANCOUVER — Two CP Rail cars that were knocked off the tracks by a rockslide in the Fraser Canyon last week are still stuck in the Thompson River.

CP Rail spokesman Mike LoVecchio says it may be another month before officials decide it's safe to pull the cars from the river near Lytton, B.C.

LoVecchio says the railway must wait until water levels drop and migrating chinook salmon pass through the area.

The cars were leaking glycol, a chemical used in antifreeze, but divers plugged several holes in the cars last week.

Two other cars that were knocked off the tracks on July 1 have already been removed from the area.

LoVecchio says the remaining cars are anchored to the river bottom with steel cables, and officials will continue to monitor the water for any contamination.