LAC LA BICHE - A growing pile of thousands of coated, wooden railroad ties at the CN railyard in Lac La Biche will soon be moved, say railway officials.
The rail ties are piled along the siding of the downtown railyard, directly behind the south fence of the Lac La Biche cemetery, just a few feet from the equipment compound of a downtown sports store, and 100 feet from the fence lines of dozens of homes.
There is no environmental concern related to the ties, says CN spokesperson Jon Abecassis.
"There is no impact on the environment, and the tie removal should begin in the next few weeks," Abecassis told Lakeland This Week.
Railroad ties are often treated with chemical components to extend the time they can be used effectively along rail lines. Either creosote or chromated copper arsenate can be found in the wood. Several horticultural research studies show that the chemicals can leach into soil and groundwater or can cause respiratory damage to humans if they burn.
The pile of ties have been getting stacked in Lac La Biche for the last several months. The ties are part of the scheduled replacement of about 70,000 railroad ties each year across Alberta.
Abecassis says CN is aware of the growing amount of old ties being stored in Lac La Biche, and says specialized rail cars have been ordered.
"CN recently began directing used tie cars to Lac La Biche in an effort to remove the used rail ties accumulating in the railyard," he said.
CN officials have been in contact with Lac La Biche County representatives about the stockpile.
When asked about any fire hazard from the stockpiled wooden ties, Abecassis said security measures are in place in the railyard and the area is under constant supervision.
Lac La Biche County officials say they too are paying attention to the woodpile. County officials say CN has identified corporate emergency protocols and any contamination mitigation steps in their operating plans.
