One of my closest friends鈥攁n English teacher鈥攈as had this idea for a long time.
She wants us to have a section or list of reckless things called 鈥淢isChief.鈥�
Get it? Like, foolish things that happen that The Squamish CHIEF covers.
It is cute. So, let鈥檚 use it here.
This column is about some local MisChief.
I was riding home from work and hit a 鈥淪quamish traffic jam,鈥� meaning the train was crossing.
I was filming the train to humorously explain to my partner why I was taking a bit longer on my post-work travels.
I captured more than I planned when a shirtless man suddenly jumped from the train in front of me (and my camera).
He ran down the tracks, grabbed his backpack from one of the train cars, and then stopped for a bit to pull on a T-shirt. Then he was off running down the track to jump back on.
Wasn鈥檛 this something that only happened in movies and history books?
Not.
This isn鈥檛 to shame this person鈥攈e seemed to have his wits about him, this decision notwithstanding.
Of course, there are online forums devoted to this activity.
One Reddit thread talks about the culture of 鈥渢rain hopping.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e not all trust fund kids or felons,鈥� the poster says.
Not sure I would have thought either thing, but OK.
鈥淭he reasons people ride the rails are as varied as the people ... We work seasonal jobs, Craigslist gigs, street perform, beg and dumpster dive. It鈥檚 not the easy life of sightseeing you might envision.鈥�
So, it is a whole thing and 鈥渃ulture,鈥� apparently.
But obviously, in addition to being foolish, it is dangerous and ill-advised.
On a serious note, in 2023, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada says 67 rail transportation-related fatalities were reported. Of that number, 53 involved trespassing.
On average, every year, more than 100 Canadians are seriously injured or killed due to railway crossing or trespassing incidents.
Also, Transport Canada confirms that individuals can face hefty fines (see below) for trespassing onto railway lines.
However, one of the biggest reasons I was alarmed by what I saw was that it showed such disregard for the CN workers responsible for the trains. Something happens to the train hopper, and they are the ones who have to live with that consequence.
Even if the hoppers aren鈥檛 hurt, the train conductors and crew are still left watching for them.
Squamish is a place where we take a lot of risks in our sports and with our businesses, but this is one risk we should disembark.
Here are some rail safety tips from CN:
Stay Off Tracks
Never walk, cycle or drive along railway tracks. It鈥檚 hard to judge how far away a train is or what speed it鈥檚 travelling at. Trains can go as fast as 160 km/h and can take up to two kilometres to come to a complete stop. That鈥檚 the length of 18 football fields.
Keep Off of Railway Property
Railway yards, tunnels and bridges are all private property. If you are caught trespassing on them, you could be fined up to $50,000. But it isn鈥檛 just illegal to trespass on railway property鈥攊t鈥檚 extremely dangerous. Railway tunnels and bridges are often only slightly wider than the rails, leaving little or no room for you if a train does come along.
Use Designated Railway Crossings
Always cross railway tracks at designated crossings. Trying to cross tracks anywhere else could be deadly. Remember, trains can come at any time, from either direction, and on any track. They also don鈥檛 always run on a set schedule.
Keep Your Distance
Trains can overhang the tracks by as much as one metre on each side. They can also carry loads that are wider than the railway cars themselves. So, stay clear. You could also get hit by chains, straps or other equipment swinging loose from the train if you are too close.
Should you want to know about being safe around trains, Transport Canada and the Railway Association of Canada (RAC) produce with lots of information.
