Megantic, July 06, 2013

The Montreal Gazette's visual editorial commentary

Only a few of the thousands of scenes captured

Eastern end of the Megantic rail yard as seen from the south. The red brick building to the right of the center appears to be the former CPR statiom.

Tank cars reported to be holding in the siding at Nantes.

Perhaps the most profound of all scenes recorded at Lac Megantic following the disaster.

In the mid 1960's I spent quite a few hot summer afternoons strolling up and down the main street of Megantic while my mother and grandmother visited the many stores. 

Milan (one of the many surrounding small communities) is 15 miles west, and in the 60's era, Megantic was the nearest  "big city" where people went to shop. 

Megantic, you were a place I once knew many years ago, and long before this tragedy placed you in the unwanted center of attention. 

My heartfelt condolences truly go out to the citizens of Lac Megantic.

The Oddblock Station Agent

Addendum December 25, 2013

Lac-Mégantic train disaster voted top news story of 2013

Canadian Press poll surveyed country's editors, news directors

The Canadian Press Posted: Dec 25, 2013 11:12 AM ET 

Heading into 2013, Lac-Mégantic was known as a quiet holiday town in a Quebec region recognized abroad for its mountaintop observatory and its inky, starry skies. 

The community finishes the year remembered for a deadly train crash that horrified people around the world and ignited a fire so big its rage could be seen from space.

Last summer's Lac-Mégantic derailment, which killed 47 people and pushed the issue of rail safety into the spotlight, has been voted Canada's 2013 News Story of the Year in the annual survey of the country's newsrooms by The Canadian Press.

On the Right Track???

Maybe I should get something like this for the back yard... it would probably easily fit right in front of Oddblock Station.... at least that was the first thought that came to mind upon seeing this.

This is the entrance to a restaurant. The location is reported to be somewhere in Seoul, South Korea. An extraordinarily creative use for what may have been a piece of abandoned narrow gauge railway.

The Oddblock Station Agent

Addendum October 02, 2013

With some images comes the difficulty of trying to define which category they best fit into. The following image is one of those... but in the end I have to conclude that this vehicle was on the right track... the CPR right of way.

This must surely be an interesting way to ride the rails...I wonder if a nearby truck dealer has any in stock. That being said, I wonder how far I would get in one of these before running into trouble... or something bigger coming the other way.

Actually this railway maintenance vehicle shown was busy with track inspection after tie replacement. This vehicle was there because it was moving under railway-issued track occupancy operating authority and protection... in a similar manner as a train would move over the track.

A while later the pick-up was gone and a green flag was up.

A Canadian Pacific Railway pick-up truck on the rails.