Fence-posts, rocks thrown onto railway tracks near Port Hope: Northumberland OPP

Northumberland OPP say objects being thrown onto rail tracks are being blamed for a train stoppage on Wednesday near Port Hope.

According to Const. Robert Simpson, around 12:30 p.m. officers were dispatched after a resident reported seeing youth on the wooden bridges on Stacey Road who were tossing objects at passing trains underneath. The area is about 12 kilometres west of Port Hope where two bridges overpass both eastbound and westbound tracks.

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Simpson says officers discovered a steel fence-post, metal rod, a wooden fence-post and large rocks scattered on the railway tracks.

OPP notified CN Rail, owner of the tracks, which ordered all trains — freight and Via Rail passenger — to be slowed in the area until the debris was removed, Simpson said.

No injuries were reported.

#NthldOPP received a call for youths throwing items at passing trains and leaving items on the train tracks in the Port Hope area. A stop train order was issued and the tracks were cleared. A reminder that these items can become projectiles or cause incredible damage.^rs pic.twitter.com/9X7WKPGtJK

— OPP Central Region (@OPP_CR) April 20, 2021

Simpson says there will be no further investigation at this time but extra patrols will be conducted in the area.

“Due to the distance from the complainant, no solid descriptions were available, however (they are) believed to be youths,” he told Global News Peterborough in an email on Wednesday.

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