Stopped train caused traffic snarls on Regina streets

For the second time in two weeks, a train blocked some of Regina’s main streets.

People waited for up to an hour on Albert and Broad streets Friday afternoon while the train sat idle on the tracks. It started moving out of the city just after 4:30 p.m.

According to a statement from CN, a train that was leaving the city “was forced to delay its departure when CN received reports of pedestrians crawling across the tracks and over the train. The delay has resulted in the train blocking several crossings to vehicle traffic.”

Dean Foster spent more than an hour stuck in the traffic jam and got quite an eyeful.

“The disturbing part is watching people climb over the train and crawl under the train,” he said from his car. “Everybody on foot is climbing over the train and climbing under it — and if that train kicks in gear, it’s going to be a bigger mess.”

The statement said the railway was working with Regina police to make it safe for the train to proceed.

Regina Transit said buses on routes 1, 2, 5 and 30 all experienced delays.

“It’s blocked everywhere; there’s nowhere to go,” said Foster, who drove through a ditch to try to get out of the mess. “If you’re up against the train or anywhere close like that and you can’t wiggle out, there’s nowhere to go. You may as well sit there.

“And if you can wiggle out, you have to head west to Elphinstone or McCarthy or else you can’t get across.”