People are parking their cars too close to the railway tracks by the Little Qualicum Bridge, and it’s only a matter of time before one of three groups using the tracks has an unfortunate collision, says E&N Division (East End Track Gang) spokesperson Scott McCormick.
Trains may not be moving regularly on the railroad tracks between Parksville and Port Alberni, but three different rail groups drive their speeders, hi-railers and trimmers along the tracks, maintaining the rail corridor and cutting broom, McCormick said.
“I would pretty much say there’s somebody on that railway two to three times a week.”
The EETG, Alberni Pacific Railway and Port Sub Railroaders all use or maintain the tracks. Last week a vehicle was parked so close to the track that a speeder barely made it past the car’s bumper on its way around Cameron Lake, McCormick said.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve encountered cars there,” he added. “When we went on this last work party a couple of weeks ago I was just able to close the door of the speeder and get by. Had we had the high-railer (a pickup on train wheels) it wouldn’t have been able to pass the car.”
The area was once an entry point for high-railers.
Now people use the area to access a nearby trail.
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