While Canadian National Railways has instituted a system-wide safety plan in the face of an unexpected increase in accidents, an earlier measure taken in Jasper is earning positive notices.

After extensive lobbying from Parks Canada and groups such as the Jasper Environmental Association, CN agreed to purchase a vacuum truck that would be used to clean up grain spillage along the railway and throughout the CN yard in Jasper.

Wheat, canola and peas are just a few of the products that have been known to spill from CN rail cars, either in small amounts at specific times or in a steady trickle through cracks and leaks. The food products have encouraged animals to stay on the tracks to feed, leading to increased mortality for wildlife and a safety concern for train crews.

Until CN bought the $250,000 unit, any major spill that was reported to the railway would mean a rental of a truck from Calgary at the cost of approximately $4,000 per day. 

“It’s a better solution,” said CN spokesperson Jim Feeny. “Renting it was not the best way to proceed. The best solution was to have our own unit at the yard.”

The truck began to be used on a regular basis in 2005 and since that time has serviced the railway line multiple times. Most of the time, however, it is used to clean up spills in the CN yard, Feeny said.

“Generally we try not to park rail cars in the yard, but when they are stopped for a while there can be something to clean up afterwards,” he said.

The vacuum truck also allows CN to perform two regular cleaning sweeps of the track, one in the spring and again in the fall before the temperature begins to drop below zero. 

“Certainly we’re happy with it and we know that Parks Canada is too,” said Feeny.

Wes Bradford, the wildlife conflict specialist for Jasper National Park said that while conditions are cold or wet, it doesn’t matter what sort of equipment is available.

“If the grain is wet or frozen, then you can’t pick it up with a vac truck,” he said. “But a few things have changed. When we used to have grain spills they’d go out with a portable vac, and it worked well when you had piles of grain. But when you had dribbles of grain, they had no way to pick that up. Now, when the grain dries out enough, they can suck it out and off the ties.”

While the truck is stationed in Jasper, it can be used along the CN system towards Edmonton and into the B.C. Interior, which Bradford said is understandable.

“The agreement that we now have with CN is that the vacuum truck spends most of its time in Jasper,” he said. “It’s a $ 250,000 unit, so they use it wherever they can.”

Between Parks staff and train crews, Bradford feels that most grain spillage is noticed and dealt with now.

“They are looking for it, and we’re on the track or around the track almost every day, so we’re seeing what kind of accumulation is happening,” he said.

Beyond the vacuum truck, CN has an overall budget of $1.5 billion for capital projects and infrastructure improvements. This spending is up nine per cent over last year’s totals and includes work to repair leaking cars. There are no major capital projects planned for the Jasper area in the next year, Feeny said.

“People will see CN working along the track, but it’s just routine maintainance and repair.”