15 October 2004 Fact Sheet of CP Rail's Reported Derailments from February 2003 to March 2004 In the past 13 months there have been over two dozen reported derailments on CP Rail tracks in Canada (most are listed below). Over half were on trains carrying dangerous commodities, lethal chemicals and/or hazardous materials. Almost all of these trains pass by Urban or populated areas.   Most of these derailments caused property damage, injury and/or death. Any one of these trains could have been in a derailment of tragic proportions.   Canadian Pacific Railway is gambling with the safety of its employees and the public at large when it permanently abolishes the positions responsible for the safe inspection and maintenance of its tracks.   CP Rail's traffic has increased, increasing not only its profits but also increasing the need for the maintenance of its tracks. Logic demands that when you greatly increase the tonnage that travels over the track, the track will deteriorate and breakdown at more frequent intervals more frequent inspections and maintenance.   Yet CP Rail, instead of increasing the maintenance and inspection to meet the needs of its tracks, is steadily cutting back the workforce that maintains and inspects this track, thereby lessening its safety and integrity.   The workforce that is responsible for safely maintaining and inspecting this track is less than half the size that it was only 15 years ago! CP Rail has steadily been decreasing its Maintenance department with reductions every year. And CP Rail has planned a substantial reduction for the end of May 2004.   The men and women who maintain and inspect the track, the men and women who are responsible for the safety of this track and for the safety of the public are greatly concerned with the condition of the track due to manpower shortages and the lack of material re-invested in the right of way. We are extremely concerned with the transportation of dangerous goods upon these tracks and with the high number of derailments. We are worried about the safety of ourselves and of the public, of our families and of our friends.   10 Mar 2004: The US Transportation Safety Board released its report on the CPR accident and ammonia spill at Minot ND in January 2002. The report holds CPR responsible for the accident, faulting the railway's system of track inspection and maintenance. This opens the door for multiple law suits and class actions that have been waiting in the wings.   4 Mar 2004: Residents of Springbrook, south of Red Deer AB were evacuated after officials detected mysterious odours from 19 train cars that derailed nearby. The cars turned out to be empty, containing anhydrous ammonia residue, and the residents returned to their homes.   3 Feb 2004: CPR suffered a mainline derailment at Devon ON, near Chapleau. Some paint spilled when 15 cars in a westbound train went off the tracks, blocking the line for several days.   22 Jan 2004: "We take exception to CPR's remarks about the occurrence in Whitby being a freak accident. They haven't investigated yet so they don't know if this was an accident or a preventable occurrence." Winston Smith, the vice-president of a new group called the Professionals for Rail Safety Accountability was speaking in Winnipeg. "We think it is fortunate, in light of recent findings of the Transportation Safety Board, that more of these kinds of tragic incidents haven't taken place". He was referring to the TSB's standalone recommendations in December resulting from the collapse of a CN bridge near McBride - see Mileposts, December 22 in last month's Train Scan. He also noted the propane explosion near Belleville in February 2003 (see Mileposts, February 21, Train Scan March 2003 ) and the lethal spill in Red Deer in February 2001 (see Mileposts, February 2, Train Scan March 2001 ), both on CPR tracks. "These alarming incidents call for immediate action," Smith declared. "Our concern here is about the deteriorating condition of the railway bed. The railways will tell you they're spending a lot of money on upgrading their cars and siding lengths. What they're ignoring in our view is the maintenance and inspection practices. There's fewer and fewer people out there and fewer inspections taking place." The Professionals for Rail Safety Accountability group wants an enquiry into whether Transport Canada should regulate railways and conduct maintenance checks, or audit the checks that are now down by the railways themselves. The main concern of the group to date is the state of the track at CN and CPR since speed is a major contributor toward the serious nature of any accident. Most shortlines operate at lower speeds which tends to limit the impact of any accidents which may occur there.   20 Jan 2004: A CPR train derailed near Caledon ON, northwest of Toronto. The main cargo involved from the 26 cars that derailed was car parts and bottled water.   14 Jan 2004: A CPR container train derailed on an overpass in Whitby ON, dislodging containers. One slid down an embankment onto a minivan below, killing both occupants instantly. CPR's Brock Winter said that it was premature to speculate on the cause of the accident but didn't think that the -30 degree C weather was a factor. "We operate in cold weather all the time," he said. "It's part of how we operate on Canadian Pacific Railway." A member of the victims' family (they were related) declared, "We should not have to worry about trains falling from the sky and landing on our families. CP has some serious questions that need to be answered and we haven't heard a thing. Nothing." The Transportation Safety Board is investigating.   5 Jan 2004: A tank car carrying phosphoric acid did not leak when it derailed along with a number of other cars on a CPR train in the Crowsnest Pass, eastbound from Cranbrook to Lethbridge.   30 Dec 2003: A slow-moving northbound CPR train derailed near Selkirk MB, blocking provincial Highway 4. An ice-packed flangeway on the highway crossing is the probable cause.   24 Oct 2003: A CPR train derailed about 10 kilometres west of Cranbrook BC. While the train was carrying hazardous cargo, this was not spilled and there were no injuries when 16 of 84 cars left the track.   17 Oct 2003: The locomotive of a CPR potash train derailed near Bredenbury SK, northwest of Regina. Although there were no injuries, the accident necessitated the closure of the Yellowhead Highway for a short time.   15 Oct 2003: There was a CPR derailment in Bow Island AB.   12 Oct 2003: A southbound CPR train derailed between Vulcan and Kircaldy AB on a section of straight track. The 18 cars that went of off the tracks carried anhydrous ammonia and diesel fuel but only a small amount of the latter spilled. About 240 metres of track needed replacement.   19 Aug 2003: A CPR train derailed at Steel ON, on the north shore of Lake Superior east of Thunder Bay.   23 Jul 2003: CPR is preparing for an upswing in traffic. "We anticipate a rebound in bulk commodities later this year," said Rob Ritchie, president/CEO. Even so, operating profit was down 83 percent from the same time last year, aggravated by a write-down of the Delaware and Hudson and a special charge to cover the 820 layoffs anticipated over the next three years. Second quarter operating ratio was 79.1 percent, compared to 76.2 percent for the same quarter last year.   1 Jul 2003: CPR agreed to a settlement stemming from the ammonia spill in Minot ND in January 2002. The railway will pay a total of $925K. Of this, $500K is to build a rural water system for a housing development near Minot that was surrounded by a cloud of ammonia released in the 31-car derailment. The other $425K is compensation for the railway's violation of pollution and hazardous waste laws. One person died and many were injured as a result of the accident.   22 Jun 2003: Although 40 fire-fighters and hazardous response workers accompanied by ambulances rushed to CPR's Cote St. Luc Yard in Montreal, their services were not needed. A derailment in the yard meant that a car full of non-toxic limestone mixture started to leak, but four sulphuric acid cars also involved were not damaged.   18 Jun 2003: CPR announced that it would cut another 500+ positions in addition to the 300 announced earlier this year. Most will be in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary. "We're experiencing pressure from the increase in the Canadian dollar, from high fuel prices; grain volumes are down as a result of the drought, so all of those things combined have caused us to take a very hard look at our cost structure," said spokesman Len Cocolicchio. CEO Rob Ritchie noted that such an announcement is not a pleasure. "I'm well aware of the impact this has on individuals," he said. "However, today's actions are reaffirmation of our commitment to grow this business profitable and to ensure the long-term viability of this company." Of the positions to disappear, 370 will go this year, 330 next year and 120 in 2005. CPR is also considering different options for its U.S. Delaware and Hudson subsidiary, which may result in its sale. The D&H breaks even on operations, but does not cover the cost of its capital.   13 Jun 2003: A CPR train set off a number of grass and bush fires near Nisku AB. Local firefighters brought them under control before they did any property damage.   21 May 2003: Green Valley ON, west of Montreal, was the site of a CPR derailment. There were no dangerous goods involved, and the line was open again the next day.   17 May 2003: A derailment blocked the CPR mainline near Lochalsh ON, west of Sudbury for a day.   8 May 2003: A derailment at Alderson AB, west of Medicine Hat, blocked the CPR mainline for two days. No dangerous cargo was involved.   26 Apr 2003: Nine cars derailed on CPR's mainline near Levack ON, between Sudbury and Thunder Bay.   18 Mar 2003: CPR announced that it will trim its workforce by about 300 this year, half by attrition. It also said that earnings would be less than expected due to high fuel prices and extreme winter weather. "These circumstances are extraordinary and CPR has managed them extremely well," said president/CEO Rob Ritchie. "Our recovery from each weather-related challenge has been swift and effective but we have felt the cumulative effects on efficiency and productivity." CPR had approximately 20,000 employees in 1998; currently it has about 15,500.   9 Mar 2003: Railway employees and city firefighters extinguished a fire in some sulphur cars in CPR's yard in Calgary.   5 Mar 2003: A group of residents of Melrose ON have filed a suit against CPR over the derailment, explosion and propane fire there last month. The $22M suit alleges that CPR was negligent, and that charging that the trains involved were not properly inspected, ran at excessive speed, were insufficiently staffed and were mechanically unfit. The residents are seeking compensation for environmental contamination, clean-up costs, loss of property value and other economic damages. While offering to pay all out of pocket expenses for those affected by the derailment, CPR has been asking people to sign a release saying "I hereby release and forever discharge Canadian Pacific Railway company for any and all claims connected with the derailment."   1 Mar 2003: The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board report on the January 2002 CPR derailment and ammonia spill in Minot ND will be out later this spring. In the meantime, the Minot Rural Fire Department has released its own report finding fault with the railway for failing to inspect and properly maintain the track in the area. "The heart of the problem rests with CP's failure to adequately train the individuals who actually service the track," says the report. "These failures (to meet established standards) led to and caused the derailment."   21 Feb 2003: Two CPR tank propane cars derailed and exploded at Melrose ON, east of Belleville. Train cars on an adjacent track also caught fire. The fire was so intense that emergency officials decided to let it burn itself out and two more cars exploded before the fire was brought under control. The close proximity of loaded anhydrous ammonia cars to the fire contributed to the decision to let the fire burn, and led to the evacuation of 300 residents in a four kilometre radius around the accident scene. Evacuated residents returned home the next evening. However, when it became apparent that the fire could burn for some time, explosives were used to rupture the leaking tank cars and burn off the propane released. UTU's Tim Secord stated that the accident showed the downside of decisions made by the federal Transport Minister. According to Secord, these include gutting the rules covering the marshalling of dangerous goods and laying-off car inspectors. In a prepared statement, he said that, "the Minister is ultimately responsible for the failures and inadequacies of his department and should resign immediately, before more people get hurt."   13 Feb 2003: Twenty-one cars from a CPR train went on the ground west of Parry Sound ON. About 180 people from the nearby Shawanaga First Nation were evacuated since some of the derailed cars were leaking chemicals. The accident closed the track for two days and compounded CPR's problems in clearing backlogs form the accident near Franz the previous week.   5 Feb 2003: A CPR derailment near the station at Port Moody BC blocked West Coast Express traffic in the area. Passengers had to take special buses to Coquitlam Central Station. The derailment resulted in seven glycol cars off the track, and some glycol spilled into Burrard Inlet.   4 Feb 2003: A CPR train derailed on the main line near Franz ON, blocking traffic for three days. Cold weather hampered the railway's ability to clear the backlogged traffic quickly.