Christine Whelan, FEO, September 26, 2024, VOL. 6 ISSUE 2

After yet another truck was stuck under the Thompson Road train bridge on September 4, the number of curious community members is rising. There is a wonder, after each of the multitude of assaults on the bridge structure, who decides to open up to wheels underneath and trains above? What damage has accumulated over time? How safe is that bridge?

Thompson Road Train Bridge

With the invention of the steam engine, railway companies were established. The Great Western Company inaugurated rail service between Hamilton and Niagara Falls in 1853, according to www.NiagaraRails.com. Over the next decade, expansions were constructed.

In 1862, the line was extended south from Willoughby and Bertie Townships to Fort Erie. It was completed in July of 1864.

Since then, there have been countless assaults on the bridge that allow these tracks to cross over Thompson Road, just north of Bowen Road’s end, at least in the last couple of decades. Several of these incidents have been captured on social media. A few have even made it to the news.

On November 9, 2012, the Niagara Falls Review reported a transport colliding with the overpass. The truck and bridge sustained minor damage

On September 18, 2014, chch.com captured a picture of the back end of a stuck truck, loaded with doors and windows. The write-up stated that crews let air out of the tires to free it. The road was closed while the rail overpass was inspected for damage.

On May 19, 2019, Niagara This Week covered yet another, what the writer termed, an incident where “the notoriously low Thompson Road bridge in Fort Erie claimed another vehicular victim”. A pickup truck hauling a mini excavator attempted to drive under the bridge from Phipps Street. The excavator got struck and flipped off the back onto the road. The underpass was closed for a part of the evening.

The article included that the previous summer, “an 18-wheeler went under with enough speed to make it through to the other side, shearing off the entire length of the roof of the truck in the process.”

A Facebook post shows photos of yet another stuck truck with comments from the bridge about this happening monthly, with trucks having to back up weekly.

On September 4, with this most recent event, Allan Hackett, who was at the scene, shared on Facebook, “The tow truck driver said he pulled another truck out a few weeks ago. He said it’s nicer when they are stuck at the river. The view is better.”

International Bridge, Niagara Parkway

The tow truck guy wasn’t kidding. The road under the International Bridge in Fort Erie seems to get just as much action, but with what seems more variety, given the location.

Stories have been passed on, often reflected on social media, of incidents involving drivers expecting to clear the bridge.

Rick Doan, who worked at the once nearby Arner Company, witnessed trucks often hit the structure. Another story has been shared of a family following a motorhome, witnessing the motorhome’s attempt to clear the bridge, only to have the Heat/AC unit ripped off the roof, getting wedged for about an hour as the tow truck guys tried to figure out a solution. A third comment told how a mover managed to run a grand piano into this bridge, making a fair-sized pile of kindling.

It’s regular practice to deflate the tires of the stuck truck, releasing the wedge so the truck can be towed out. 

One blessing, the list of these reports always includes, “No one was injured”.

We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Sign

Going through the social media comments, I noticed a trend of speculation and suggestions about the signage over the bridges. Of course, bigger and brighter could be an obvious option. There were also comments of curiosity about conversion. The signs are in metres. Could American drivers be unaware of the metric conversion?

There was also a wonder, would it work if an overhead sign was placed ahead of the bridge, reading, “If you hit this sign, you will hit that bridge”?

There was also a suggestion in the community to lower the roads since the tracks can’t be raised.

The Fort Erie Observer regularly publishes Regional Councilor, Tom Insinna’s, Report From the Region. On November 11, 2021, Insinna wrote, “The Director of Transportation for the Region gave a presentation to Fort Erie Town Council and spoke about the projects being forecasted for Fort Erie.”

According to the Regional Councillor, “The CN/CP rail bridges at Thompson Road are still being looked at and consultations regarding cost sharing and planning continue.”

All speculation and suggestions aside —

Fort Erie residents are starting to voice concerns. Are these bridges still safe? And who decides?

A Call to the Town of Fort Erie

I turned to George McDermott, Town Councillor of Ward 1, containing both train bridges in inquiry. Are these two bridges safe? Who is responsible for knowing this answer?

Councillor McDermott spent considerable time chasing down answers on the municipal end.

He explained the ownership of the infrastructural pieces in question. “The two roads, Thompson Rd and the Parkway are called ‘roads under rail’. As I understand it, the CN owns the railway, the structure may be joint ownership between the CN and the Region or Niagara Parks, depending on which road.”

He continued, breaking down, “The Niagara Parks Commission takes care of the Niagara Parkway,” also called the Niagara Boulevard. “The Region maintains Thompson Road, and the bridges are CN. So, the Town is not responsible for the ownership or the maintenance.”

Significant Piece, But Not the Point

McDermott commented on what was on the minds of many others. “This is a case where drivers cannot read signs. Professional truck drivers should know what will clear.”

My question is, are the bridges safe after repeated hits from the trucks? He agreed it was a concern.

McDermott suggested I look to the CNR for answers and directed me to their company’s website. He added that it is in the company’s best interest to maintain the bridges.

The CNR owns quite a bit of property in Fort Erie, specifically in Councillor McDermott’s Ward (Ward 1).

The Canadian National Railway: Connecting the Dots

The CNR got its start in rail close to 100 years ago. Since then, they’ve evolved into a world-class transportation leader and the only transcontinental railway in North America. You can read more about the company by going to their website, cn.ca

In exploring the website, I read pages about safety. It is something they, as stated, never take lightly.

In Canada, Transport Canada keeps us on the right track:

• Rail safety regulation (primarily the Canadian Railway Safety Act) is enforced by Transport Canada.
• Transport Canada also conducts research and development in support of improved railroad safety.
• Transport Canada works closely with the railroad industry (setting track, equipment and hazardous material transportation standards).
• The safety of railroad employees is also subject to the regulations of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.

Coming to a following edition of the Fort Erie Observer

Fort Erie’s Train Bridges vs. Transport Trucks: Part 2

The Search For Answers

Reaching out to the Canadian National Railway, the Niagara Region and the Niagara Parks Commission.

Photos

• Allan Hackett took several photos on September 4, 2024