Train freezes traffic on Regina's Ring Road Tuesday

With vehicles lined up as far as a person could see from the Winnipeg Street overpass, Regina’s Ring Road looked like a parking lot on Tuesday around lunchtime.

It was all thanks to a train on the CN Rail line just south of Winnipeg Street that was stopped – or crawling along – for close to an hour and a half.

Traffic was backed up all the way past Pasqua Street in the north end. Some people were walking among the cars that were stopped on the road, talking to other drivers.

The train was stretched across Winnipeg Street, leaving some vehicles stuck as they waited to turn on to the Ring Road from places like Winnipeg Street and McDonald Street as well.

Shane Klatt said he pulled up to the line around 11 a.m. The roadway wasn’t cleared until around 12:15 p.m.

“It’s pretty frustrating. People are cutting through the ditches,” said Klatt.

Peter was stuck in traffic as well.

“We saw people crossing the ditch, and there was also people who were cutting other people off right before the onramp. It was just really chaotic.”

At least one vehicle got stuck in the ditch between lanes.

A spokesperson for CN Rail said there was a mechanical issue with the train, and crews worked as quickly as possible to fix it.

According to Operation of Movements railway rules under Transport Canada, a train can’t block a crossing for more than five minutes:

“Except at those public crossings indicated in special instruction, no part of a movement may be allowed to stand on any part of a public crossing at grade, for a longer period than 5 minutes, when vehicular or pedestrian traffic requires passage. Switching operations at such crossing must not obstruct vehicular or pedestrian traffic for a longer period than 5 minutes at a time. When emergency vehicles require passage, employees must cooperate to quickly clear the involved crossings.”