Tanker Cars Rolling Through London

This kilometre-plus-long freight train is rolling through London, Ontario, heading for the core of the southwestern Ontario city. From there it will pass through east end residential neighbourhoods before exiting the city.

What makes this train worth noting are all the tanker cars. As you may recall, the horrific train derailment in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, in 2013, involved tanker cars carrying crude oil. The fire following the derailment destroyed the town centre leaving 47 dead. If your town has one or more major rail lines traversing densely built-up areas, you should read the BBC report on Lac-Magantic.

Since the Lac-Megantic accident there has been an off-and-on again discussion of creating a bypass to enable freight trains like the one pictured to avoid London's core and its densely populated residential neighbourhoods. But a new route would be exceedingly expensive, not to mention time-consuming. The tracks running straight through London will remain for the foreseeable future.

When I worked at the local paper, The London Free Press, I covered a number of local derailments with some involving tanker cars. Shooting pictures of derailed railroad cars is fraught with danger. Tanker cars can explode and propel the massive, round, metal ends a surprising distance. The ends are the weakest point in a tanker car. I always shot burning cars from the side and with as long a lens as possible. There were good reasons for the homes in the immediate area being evacuated.