Prince George, B.C.- CN Rail is in the process of reviewing the final report on the August 4^th 2007 derailment and fire in Prince George. The non maintrack collision between two trains resulted in a spilled of diesel fuel, much of which was burned off, and a thick cloud of smoke billowed from the crash site across from Paddle Wheel Park in Prince George. 

 

CN spokesperson, Kelli Svendsen says it is important to note the Transportation Safety Board did not make any recommendations to the railway “CN has been working diligently to increase safety and those efforts are seeing results. In 2008 there was a 290% reduction in overall accidents in Canada, and there has been a significant reduction in non maintrack accidents as well.”

 

In 2008, CN recorded 7.27 accidents per one million train miles travelled. That is down from the 2007 mark of 10.20 accidents and the 2006 mark of 9.90 acccidents per million train miles travelled. The company has set a target of 6.25 accidents per million train miles travelled for 2009. To reach that mark, CN plans to:

• Address main-track accident causes by continuing to enhance wayside inspection network as well as CN’s track inspection systems.

• Focus on non-main track accidents by addressing human factors through safety walkabouts, safety blitzes and audits.

• Implement Health and Safety committee action plans and continue to involve employees in safety.

 

The TSB did note that while the manager who was at the controls at the time of the Prince George incident was qualified by regulatory standards, “management employees operating the remote control switching assignment the day of the accident were inadequately trained for the duties they were performing”.

 

Svendsen says that is not an issue CN will be addressing as the manager involved in the crash was qualified under the regulatory standards.

 

The TSB report says there had been “an inadequate assessment of the risks associated with the activities”. According to a CN document, in 2008, the majority of CN managers had completed a new “web-based CN risk assessment training course. Risk management officers also rolled out  the course to a number of Health and Safety committees.”

 

CN has already made some upgrades in the Prince George area, as it invested $500,000 to reduce Wayside Inspection Systems (WIS) spacing to the CN standard of 12 to 15 mile intervals. The WIS allow for the checking of heated bearings or wheels. Re-spacing was completed between Jasper and Prince George in 2008. The target for 2009 is to complete the Nechako Subdivision with the Telkwa, Bulkley and Skeena slated for 2010.

 

In 2009, CN plans to invest approximately C$1.5 billion in capital programs, of which more than C$1 billion is targeted towards track infrastructure to improve the safety and fluidity of the network. “Our capital program underscores our commitment to running a safe railroad even in tough economic times” says company President E. Hunter Harrison.

 

While CN is recording it’s own safety improvements, the Transportation Safety Board says the preliminary data would indicate all railways operating in Canada last year have seen a reduction in accidents. 

 

Here is the preliminary data from the TSB:

 

 

Accidents		2008	2007	2003-2007 Average
		1,143   1,323		1,387
	Main-Track Train Collisions	6	8	5
	Main-Track Train Derailments - 1-2 cars	67	77	88
	Main-Track Train Derailments - 3 or more cars	62	83	75
	Crossings	214	221	245
	Non-Main-Track Train Collisions	88	102	109
	Non-Main-Track Train Derailments - 1-2 cars	405	455	539
	Non-Main-Track Train Derailments - 3 or more cars	143	175	160
	Collisions/Derailments Involving Track Units	27	31	23
	Employee/Passenger	12	18	12
	Trespassers	73	101	88
	Fires/Explosions	12	25	21
	Other	34	27	22
Incidents		215	223	248
	Dangerous Goods Leaker	64	88	115
	Main-track Switch in Abnormal Position	13	7	9
	Movement Exceeds Limits of Authority	111	106	99
	Runaway Rolling Stock	15	13	13
	Others	12	9	12
Million Train-miles*		91.90	92.80	93.30
Accidents/Million Train-miles		12.44	14.26	14.87
Accidents Involving Dangerous Goods		147	190	204
	Main-track Train Derailments	23	35	32
	Crossings	4	6	8
	Non-Main-Track Train Collisions	33	41	41
	Non-Main-Track Train Derailments	83	100	113
	All Others	4	8	9
Accidents with a DG Release		2	3	6
Accidents Involving Passenger Trains		78	82	74
Fatalities		74	84	92
	Crossings	26	26	29
	Trespassers	47	56	58
	All Others	1	2	5
Serious Injuries		64	57	76
	Crossings	36	22	41
	Trespassers	20	27	25
	All Others	8	8	9
* Train-miles estimated. (Source: Transport Canada) Figures are preliminary as of January 15, 2009. All 5-year averages have been rounded. The totals sometimes do not coincide to the sum of these averages.
Transportation Safety Board of Canada