Dear Editor: I am concerned about the proposal by CN to destaff the Second Narrows railway lift bridge. As a recreational sailor we transit the bridge occasionally. A situation occurred on our last transit that demonstrates my concern. We were eastbound and radioed the bridge for a "lift." This was granted immediately as there were no trains in the tunnel, and we proceeded through. Up to this point the radio communication and raising the bridge could have been handled from anywhere because it worked.
My first concern is that following us by about a quarter mile was another sailboat who had not called. If we had cleared the bridge and the remote operator pushed the button to lower the span the second boat would have been in trouble because we were running with a flood tide of about four knots. The on-site operator just had to look out the window to see the other boat making their way along the south shore and the bridge was held for the next boat.
My second concern is that the tragedy at Lac-Mégantic should demonstrate the need to have trained and capable staff on the site of major operations such as this, especially with the increase of tonnage of shipping transiting the narrows every day.
Michael Leedham,
Coquitlam
