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In recognition of the massive shock radiating out from the train derailment and explosion at Lac Megantic, Quebec last week, and the close working relationship between Quebec and Maine in rail transportation, U.S. Federal Railroad Administration officials have arranged a special investigation in the line that was used to take crude-oil through Maine en route to an Irving refinery in New Brunswick by Maine-based Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway.
Ste-Agnes Church is seen as work continues at the crash site of the train derailment and fire in Lac-Megantic, Que., earlier this week.  Photograph by: Ryan Remiorz , THE CANADIAN PRESS

The dreadful accident that occurred in Lac Megantic, after all, could happen anywhere in Maine as well. A visual inspection along the 440-kilometre stretch of track in Maine owned by the MM&A is to be undertaken. Whereby an automatic track inspection car will be sent along the company's lines through the entire state. This represents a previously unscheduled safety check.

It was spurred by an urgent appeal from the state's two legislators in the U.S. House of Representatives; Rep. Michael Michaud, and Rep. Chellie Pingree. "Aujourd'hui, nous sommes tous des citoyens de Lac Megantic -- Today, we are all citizens of Lac Megantic", the legislative motion began. And it was unanimously adopted in view of the July 6 derailment and firestorm that transformed a sleepy little railroad town into an inferno.

"The magnitude of this tragedy requires us to do all that we can to prevent another disaster like this. Given the exponential growth in oil transport through our state, this accident could just as easily have taken place in a Maine town or city", said the motion's sponsor, Rep. Seth Berry.  "We all have an obligation to ensure that any safety issues are identified and dealt with quickly", said Reps. Michaud and Pingree.

"This is even more important at a time when crude oil shipments through Maine are skyrocketing. In the last year alone, crude oil shipments have increased 15 times over", they added. "In addition, there have been three derailments of trains carrying hazardous materials in Maine just during the last six months." Derailments, yes. Nothing quite like the horrific event that took place in Lac Megantic with the loss of 50 lives.


"With such a terrible loss of life not far from the border, I'm relieved the Federal Railroad Administration has stepped up to identify and address any safety issues here in Maine. The amount of oil being shipped through Maine by rail has skyrocketed over the last year. We owe it to the communities on those lines to make their safety a top priority."

One of those communities in Quebec has already made an ineffectual but sincere stab at protecting the safety of its residents. Farnham town council has declared that until they are assured of complete safety they will no longer permit MM&A's trains to transit the town. Farnham is where Tom Harding, the MM&A engineer lives, the man who drove the train into Quebec from Maine and parked it on the side trail for the night, then left it after his shift.

Following company procedures with a one-man crew. And here is where Canadian Pacific Railway stepped in. With their announcement of a self-directed change in their operational regulations in anticipation of a federal government directive demanding same. "The recent situation gave us a chance to thoroughly rview our safety procedures, as we do on an ongoing basis. The result is that we have now strengthened our operating procedures in some key areas that were identified from what recently occurred", stated Ed Greenberg, spokesman for Canada's second-largest railway:

• Trains left unattended outside a terminal or yard must lock the locomotive, not just in "high risk" locations;
• Brake-setting procedures will also be strengthened though they already meet or exceed regulations;
• Trains conveying dangerous material will not be left unattended on main line tracks.

Farnham is where the train began to shift down that long slope leading to Lac Megantic, with no one aboard to tend the train, when the air brakes then the mechanical brakes failed, gathering terrific speed causing it to derail in the centre of town, and then explode, destroying that town centre and all the people who were gathered there, sleeping in their apartments or celebrating the early-morning arrival of the week-end at a local pub.

National Post / Ryan RemiorzEmergency crews are seen in the wreckage in the restricted area of Lac-Megantic, Quebec, July 16, 2013. 

And Farnham is where the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway has decided to lay off 17 of its unionized employees out of their total 75 Quebec workforce. Some reports had it that Farnham locals were seen to be tossing rocks at MM&A trains.