A CN locomotive and Via passenger car collided about 50 metres from the Jasper Train station on July 6.

According to emergency responders on the scene, at about 1:40 p.m. The CN locomotive ran into the Via passenger car, pushing it to a 30 degree angle on the track after a switch was left open. No one was injured, as only two people were on the passenger car at the time. The locomotive driver was unharmed.

“The cars conjoined at the switch,” said Deputy Fire Chief Ron Stanko.

Crews worked throughout the afternoon to figure out how to separate the locomotive and the passenger car. According to Fire Chief Greg Van Tighem, very little was keeping the passenger car on the tracks.

“It was a very slow moving collision,” Van Tighem said.

A saddle tank full of diesel fuel was adjacent to the wayward Via car. Van Tighem said officials had to figure out how to move the trains without rupturing the fuel tank.

Via spokespeople said the matter was under investigation, and would not comment on who was responsible for the collision.

Barbara Krause of Palmyra, New York was on the train at the time of the collision. She said the Via train was not moving at the time of the collision.

“I heard the horn blow and then it crashed,” she said. “I could feel the crash.”

She praised emergency and Via officials for their quick response to the accident.

“They were all wonderful and responded almost instantaneously. We got off the train with no problem.”

At press time, CN officials were attempting to decide how to best move the locomotive. Passengers were back on the train by 6 p.m.