Mr. Patrick, I will agree with one point that you have made, and that is the locomotive fire certainly rose to the level of emergency.
While earlier in the topic there is a post defining emergency with respect to Canadian HOS, however the more accepted definition of 'Emergency' means a situation in which property or human life is in jeopardy and the prompt summoning of aid is essential. 'Le département des pompiers Nantes' did respond, but the response was not complete as there was no person on the scene qualified on train handling. As such, to have rousted the Engineer and transport him to the scene would have been within provisions of HOS. However, the Engineer's rest would have been broken and a new ten hour clock would be set. He likely would not have been rested until late afternoon.
Something tells me that in the apparent 'see no evil hear no evil' culture pervasive at Rosemont, somebody would have 'had to do a lil talkin'. Nevermind that an incident rising to the level of Chatsworth would have been avoided.
Rulebooks that give wide discretion to crews in tying down trains will be rewritten both here and 'up there', and as a result the practice will become far more burdensome. Mr. Patrick is correct in suggesting that the practice of tying down trains rather than establishing crew districts with the intent of having a rested crew relieving that which is about to expire ('die') will be subject to review.
