May 26, 2012.
A rail car carrying a load of railway ties caught fire in The Pas, Manitoba.
This car was originally with the rest of the rail cars in the Pas railyard but a locomotive was able to hook up after the 3rd drop and tow the car to a safe place where it wouldn't damage any more property.
The railroad ties are coated with creosote and the smoke is extremely toxic and the wind was blowing the smoke directly towards downtown. The Pas only has a small volunteer fire department and even with the water bomber (and later a helicopter with a water bucket) it took about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to put out. They wound up getting an excavator to the car that pulled the ties off and spread them out.
Travelling is my life
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