"The threat to life was quite high in that rocks had fallen from the side and pined people under them, and they were substantial size rocks as I understand it," said Staff Sgt. Norm McPhail of the Whistler RCMP.
Initially emergency workers were told there had been an explosion and someone was dead.
But, said McPhail when rescue crews arrived at the scene around noon, about 15 minutes after the first report was called in, they found two workers pined under the rocks.
Both were conscious but suffering from internal injuries and multiple fractures. They were placed one at a time in a pickup truck, which can run on the rails, and carried to waiting ambulances about 2 kilometres away from the accident site.
From there they were taken to the Whistler Health Care Centre then on to Vancouver by helicopter.
The names of the workers, who were part of a six-person team, are not being released at this time said Jim Feeny, the director of public affairs for CN for western Canada.
The rail line was not damaged during the rockslide and is now operational.
"We have no reason to believe any more (rock) will come down," said Feeny.
CN has already launched an investigation into the accident and notified other agencies including the Workers Compensation Board.
