Rail transportation

TSB Rail Transportation Safety Investigation R19W0002 Train collision near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba in January 2019

Railway terminology

Railway signal indications: Signal indications are lights displayed beside or over the tracks that indicate to train crews how to proceed. Similar to traffic lights that govern the operation of roadway vehicle traffic, in signalled territory, a progression of wayside railway signal indications govern train movements on railway tracks.  

Safety communications related to TSB investigation R19W0002: January 2019 main track train collision and derailment near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba

The occurrence

On 3 January 2019, eastbound CN freight train 318 collided with the side of westbound CN freight train 315 just east of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.

Findings from TSB investigation R19W0002 – January 2019 main track train collision and derailment near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba

Investigations conducted by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) are complex since an accident rarely results from a single cause. In the case of the January 2019 main track train collision and derailment involving two Canadian National Railway (CN) freight trains near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, several factors led to the accident.

TSB Rail Transportation Safety Investigation R19T0191 November 2019 crossing accident in Kitchener, Ontario

Regulatory jurisdiction and oversight

The Metrolinx Guelph Subdivision consists of a single main track, oriented generally east–west, extending from Mile 30.0 (Silver Station near Georgetown) to Mile 65.1 (Sturm Station in Kitchener). The Lancaster Street West crossing is situated at Mile 62.08.

Locomotive and freight car brakes (p. 209 of the report)

Train brakes

Locomotives are equipped with 2 air brake systems: automatic and independent.

The automatic brake system applies the brakes to each locomotive and to each car in the train as well; it is normally used during train operations to slow and stop the train.

Safety communications related to TSB investigation R19C0015 – February 2019 uncontrolled movement and main-track derailment near Field, British Columbia

The occurrence

On 4 February 2019, the Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CP) freight train 301-349 being operated by a relief crew derailed on Field Hill near Field, British Columbia, on a 13.5-mile section of track with a steep descending grade (average 2.2%) and several sharp curves.  The 3 crew members—a locomotive engineer, a conductor, and a conductor trainee—were fatally injured in the

Findings from TSB investigation R19C0015 – February 2019 fatal uncontrolled movement of rolling stock and derailment near Field, British Columbia

Investigations conducted by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) are complex since an accident rarely results from a single cause. In the case of the Field, British Columbia, accident on 4 February 2019 several factors led to the uncontrolled movement, derailment and the fatal injuries of 3 crew members. The 23 findings below detail the causes and contributing factors that led to this occurrence.

Table 1.

Safety communications related to TSB investigation R17W0267 – December 2017 employee fatality in Melville, Saskatchewan

The occurrence

On 22 December 2017, at about 1800 Central Standard Time during hours of darkness, a Canadian National Railway Company (CN) foreman and a helper were performing switching operations at CN’s Melville Yard in Melville, Saskatchewan.

TSB statistics on unplanned/uncontrolled movements

From 2009 to 2018, there were 562 occurrences reported to the Transporatation Safety Bord of Canada (TSB) related to unplanned/uncontrolled movements among all railways in Canada.