Rail Safety | “The industry is progressing every year”

Rail safety is improving across the country, although much remains to be done.

Nearly 10 years after the Lac-Mégantic tragedy in July 2013, rail safety is improving in Quebec and across the country, notes the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), which estimates that 60% of the recommendations made in the aftermath of the tragedy were followed. However, much remains to be done, in particular to limit unplanned train movements.

“We are really encouraged by the changes made over the past 10 years. Three of the five recommendations we made were adopted, and for the rest, we see that the industry is progressing every year,” explains The Press TSB Director of Rail Investigations Vincenzo De Angelis.

More sustainable trains

Among the changes, the manager immediately names the strengthening of tank car protection standards, whose old DOT-111 models are gradually being replaced by TC-117 models, deemed to be “more efficient” in derailment conditions. “They have a thicker steel shell and thermal protection to better protect the products and, therefore, from leaks in potential derailments. All of this will be completely replaced by 2025. This will already greatly reduce the risk of failure during a derailment, ”said Mr. De Angelis.

Lowered speeds

In recent years, the speed of trains has been reduced to 35 miles per hour in metropolitan areas, or about 56 km/h. Outside these areas, the maximum speed of most trains is 50 miles per hour, or 80 km/h. In the past, these numbers had been higher, but were also reduced further in February 2020 after a train derailment in Guernsey, Saskatchewan. “It’s good news when you know that the speed of the trains during a derailment can cause more leaks and material damage, even human,” says the investigator. He notes in passing that additional speed restrictions “also apply during the winter period, depending on the ambient temperature, especially for high-risk key trains”.

More frequent inspections

On the surveillance side, rail inspections have also been increased, especially in winter due to the risk of ice-related breakage. From 2013 to 2022, the average annual number of inspections increased from 20,000 to 40,000. Last year, there were a total of 155 rail safety inspectors, compared to 107 in 2013, while the number of transport inspectors of hazardous materials has tripled in 10 years to reach 118. Thirty new criteria are also now imposed on railway companies to verify that their journey is safe on the tracks they use. Oil spill response protocols have also been “refined”. “It may seem trivial, but these are big changes,” says Vincenzo De Angelis.

More “uncontrolled” movements

Despite everything, the number of “uncontrolled movements”, or situations where railway equipment moves in an unexpected way, is still increasing across the country, regrets the TSB. It is concretely the loss of control of the train by a member of the team, often caused by insufficient immobilization of the rolling stock or the non-use of the air brakes. “That, in the marshalling yards for example, is still a big problem. We would like to see physical solutions being adopted in the industry, such as alternative braking systems”, breathes the director. For him, “what is being looked at in the industry at the moment is much more at the level of procedures, of security steps”. “That’s good, but we think that above all we need to have additional levels of security. The solution is more on the physical side, with concrete changes, ”he judges.

78 in just one year

On its site, the TSB also clearly states that uncontrolled movements, although infrequent, “can have catastrophic consequences, especially if dangerous goods are involved”. “As the Lac-Mégantic accident demonstrated, the cost in terms of human lives and repercussions on our communities is incalculable”, can we read. From 2010 to 2019, according to the most recent data available, the number of uncontrolled movements showed a clear upward trend, with a peak of 78 distinct events in 2019.

Towards a “culture of safety”

In the longer term, the TSB does not hide that it hopes to “create a culture of safety” with the improvement of the safety management systems (SMS) that each railway company has under the law. “These systems need to work better to avoid accidents, learn lessons and make corrections when necessary. It should trigger measures to avoid accidents, ”says Mr. De Angelis. “It’s impossible to completely eliminate the risks, but if you have several layers of security, you can at least greatly minimize them,” he insists.

Certificates to obtain

Recently, Transport Canada has also introduced the concept of “operating certificate”, which allows a railway company to operate, or not, across the country. Since then, audits have been carried out on a regular basis and if the Ministry judges that the internal security processes are not sufficient, the certificate is withdrawn until changes are made. From now on, each actor must also take out a minimum level of insurance depending on the type and volume of dangerous goods that he is transporting. The amount ranges from $25 million to $1 billion. “It didn’t exist before Mégantic. And the measure comes with administrative penalties that allow the government to financially penalize companies. We are talking about fines ranging from $50,000 to $250,000. In short, there is still progress to be made, but we are heading in the right direction,” concludes the manager.