The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-02-22, Page 200
PAGE 4A -GODERJCFI SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1979
•
Snowmobiles don't run on tracks
BY JOANNE
BUCHANAN
Every- winter
newspapers carry tragic
_,tales of train -snowmobile
accidents. Just last year
a 19 -year-old boy died in
a train -snowmobile ac-
cident on a bright win-
ter's day in the Ottawa
area. He was crossing CP
Rail 'tracks when his
vehicle stalled and , he
was unable to get out otl'
the way of an on -coming
train in time.
This death and many
others needn't have
happened and that is one
of the reasons why CP
Police have started an
aggressive safety
campaign this year
directed at snowmobilers
and cross-country skiers
throughout Canada.
Eight other train -
snowmobile accidents
were reported in Quebec, -
New Brunswick and
Ontario last year, though
fortunately none were,
fatal.
John J. Koren, in-
vestigator with the CP
Police in Cambridge,
paid a visit to Signal -Star
Publishing Limited last
week to discuss the
dangers of using the
railway's right-of-way for
winter sports. He asked
that '. the Signal -Star's
readers be reminded tbat
snowmobilers caught
g railway tracks this
er can expect
prosecution for
trespassing and fines up
to $100 under the Railway
Act.
Each winter, says
Koren, railway police
experience problems
with snowmobiles being
unlawfully operated on
tracks and railway right-
of-ways. A number of
accidents have • resulted
from this unsafe practice
and this situation has
grown more serious each
year, he continues.
Frequently it is people
travelling in the same
direction as fast moving
trains who are killed or
injured because they are
unable to hear the train
over the noise of their
own machines, he says.
In order to control the
situation, special patrols`
are being made by
railway police and ' all
offenders are being
charged.
"Few people seem to
realize thata train cannot
stop like the family car,"
says H. McGowan,
supe-rintendent,
Investigation CP Rail
Eastern Region. "A
freight train travelling at
50 miles per hour takes up
to one mile to stop and by
then it maybe too late,"
In their safety cam-
paign
ampaign this season,
railway police like Koren
(who are visiting schools
and snowmobile clubs as
well as newspapers) are
issuing three posters
designed for
snowmobilers and cross-
country skiers.
One graphically
illustrates one of the most
common factors in ac-
cidents. Bundled up in
winter headgear and
deafened by the roar'of
the snowmobile engine,
the snowrnobiler is often
unable to hear the ap-
proach of a train from
,behind, as Koren has
explained.
"The snowmobile
might be capable of
getting out of the way in
time, but in many cases
the rider can't hear the
locomotive until it's just a
few feet away," says
McGowan.
"In most fatal ac-
cidents, the snowmobiler
is either struck from the
side or behind, without
any prior awareness of
the train's presence," he
says.
•
With renewed interest
in cross-country skiing,
the safety prevention
campaign has been
broadened and a new
poster to cover this ac-
tivity has been designed.
An inexperienced skier
between the rails can find
it is almost impossible to
avoid an oncoming train,
says the railway police.
Face-to-face en-
counters are no less
dangerous because
winter -time visibility,
sometimes makes it very
difficult for the
snowmobile rider or
cross-dountry skier to
judge the speed of an
oncoming train.
There are other less
obvious hazards too. A
snowmobile moving.
parallel to the tracks can
hit a bump and throw the
operator beneath the
r
train wheels. The
protruding steps •• of
cabooses have killed
more than one
snowrno-bler' who came
to close.
Snowmobiling on
railway tracks can also;
he dangerous for railway'
crewmen and
passengers. Snowmobiles
can pack snow so tightly
between the rails that
resulting ice formations
can cause derailments.
Snowmobiles can also
slice control wires or
prematurely trigger
automatic railway
signalling systems.
Goderich Police Chief
Pat King says there have
been no reports ' of
snowmobilers using
railway tracks here so far
this year but there were a
few such complaints last
year.
LET US PUT A LITTLE SPRING IN YOUR
INTER...DUR.ING OUR
Ca
Rad.
dor
John J. Koren, an investigator with the Canadian Pacific police, paid a visit
to Signal -Star Publishing Limited last week and asked that we remind our
readers about the dangers of riding snowmobiles on railway tracks. Those
caught doing so will be prosecuted. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan)
Dunnville judge heads
food industry inquiry
Agriculture and Food
Minister Bill Newman
has announced the ap-
_pointment of . Judge
Wilfred W. Leach of
Dunnville to head the
inquiry into discounting
and allowances in the
food industry in Ontario.
Judge Leach has been a
county court judge in
Haldimand since 1962.
• Before his appointment to
the bench, he practised
law in Dunnville, and also
served as crown attorney
for Haldimand. In 1969
Judge Leach was ap-
pointed by the City of
Brantford -to -carryout- a
municipal inquiry. He
also headed the Royal
Commission on the Grand
River flood of 1979..
In making the an-
nouncement Newman
said, "I am pleased that
Judge Leach has ac-
cepted this appointment.
He brings to the Royal
Commission experience
gained in inq'riries at
COAST MAL"l, ERICH
Leisure
Oa
World
This is our BIGGEST TRAIN SALE of the year
?here's SAVINGS•GALORE for the TRAIN enthusiast
both- the municipal and
provincial levels."
The establishment of _
the inquiry:followed the
report of the Standing
Committee on Resources
Development which
conducted hearings on
discounting practices in
June. In August Judge
James Ross- of Thunder
Bay ' was „appointed to
head the inquiry. Judge
Ross, however, withdrew,
from the inquiry in early
January due to ill health.
LET US PUT A LITTLE SPRING IN YOUR
INTER...DURING OUR
As husband and wife, Warren Robinson and Virginia Lodge, have one of
their many arguements in the Goderich Little Theatreproduction of The
Four Poster which opens tonight and runs until Saturday night. Eleanor
Robinson is the director of this play about a marriage. (Photo by Joanne
Buchanan)
LET US PUT A LITTLE SPRING IN YOUR
.WINTER...DURING OUR
GARBAGE BAGS
DEE TEE- 125 mil. 10's
COLGATE "WITH MFP"
TOOTHPASTE iso,.,i
IRISH SPRING SOAP -.$..-
44
4 BATH SIZE BARS i
e NAKAMURA
GUARDIAN DRUGS PHARMACY
SUNCOAST MALL - GODERICH- 524-2195
OPEN MONDAY TO FRIDAY 10 TO 12 AND 12:301O 6, SATURDAYS 10 TO 6
OPEN WEEKDAYS TILL 9 P.M.
Briefcase Full of Blues
BLUES BROTHERS
3 DAYS ONLY
FEBRRY 22 2324
OR WHILE QUANTIT QUANTITIES,
("M " ALBUMS, " " 8 TRACK & CASSETTE)
Reg, *'9a
Blondes Have More Fun
ROD STEWART Reg. *8°• **8?S
Never Say Die
BLACK SABBATH Reg. *79s **896
The Best of
EARTH WIND & FIRE
Vol. 1 Reg. 4?' **89S
7ThoCars
THE CARS Reg. *79s
-4-v/ GODERICH
Your
�®� s
Ian
Complete
Ci'a�
.as
"Sound"
Centre for
Hardware
and
Suncoasf Mali Accessories
,HWY. NO. 21 SOUTH Goderich 524-4466
Atlas Left or Right
REMOTE SWITCH
Atlas Left or Right
MANUAL SWITCH
Lionel HO Transformer
POWER PACK
Pkg. of 5 pieces
CORK ROADBED
Approk. 36" Long, Pkg. of 3 pcs.
HO FLEX TRACK
4 Pieces of
18" RADIUS TRACK
4' x 4'
GRASS MAT
Mid-Wint�r
TRAIN SALE
TRAIN ACCESSORIES
REG..
'9.99
'5.99
'9.98
'6.25
'5.40
2.30
'9.00
Round House, Model Die Cast
ASSORTED ROLLING STOCK
Lionel -Cox -Tyco -(Tankers, Box Cors, Ore Gars, Etc.)
ASSORTED �O %OFF OUR
' STOCK
ROLLING
SALE
$7.99
$4.49
$7.49
$4.69
$3.99
994
$6.99'
20% OFF
REG.
PRICE'
Lionel 4-8-4 with extra car
SOUTHERN PACIFIC
Lionel Locomotive
CHESSIE GP -9
Bachman U36B, Lifetime Limited Guarantee
CHROME SANTAFE
Tyco and Aurora
TRACK and
ACCESSORIES
A.F.X. Aurora
MAGNA -TRACTION CAR
A.F.X. Aurora
G -PLUS CARS
Slotiess Car
T.C.R. CARS '11.00
Frame on which to weave and then display your finished kit
'6.98
'60.00
'20.00
'21.98
'7.29
'11.29
JIFFY WEAVING
Macrame, Approx. 50 yards
P,OLYPROPALENE CORD
CREATIVE JUTE
Macrame
5&7ply cord
Assorted colours
'2.99
'1.99
'2.59
'2.79
LATCH HOOKING KITS
$27.99
$9.99
$15.99
20%
OUR
OFF REG.
PRICE
$6.49
$9.99
$9.99
$5.49
$2.29
$1.69
$2.19
$ 9
$7.98
$6.98
$10.98
Pillow Kits from
Rug. Squares from
Rugs from
LATCH HOOKS NOT INCLUDED IN KITS
iN
SALE ENDS FEB. '28, 1979
Le1sure,
In The Simonet Moll, Goderich
('HARGF.X
VISA
1011111N
1
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