Workers inspect the scene of a train wreck just north of Airdrie in August 2010 - Date unknown James Emery.

22 December 2011

Rail Defect Caused 2010 Derailment

Airdrie Alberta - It has been determined that a rail defect caused the derailment of a Canadian Pacific (CP) train north of Airdrie last year.
 
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has completed its investigation into the August 2010 incident, and determined that the train derailed when the west rail south of the crossing broke under the train.
 
"Although hand surfacing at the track defect locations had been performed prior to the derailment, the surface and cross level conditions persisted to the point where an internal rail defect may have developed at a crushed head," the report reads. "Although not as serious as a battered joint, a crushed head in (continuous welded rail) is subject to repeated impact loads that eventually will cause the rail to break due to fatigue."
 
The train derailed about 1.5 kilometres north of Airdrie the morning of 3 Aug 2010. A total of 32 cars left the track, including 12 that were carrying anhydrous ammonia, an agricultural fertilizer.
 
No one was injured in the incident, and the city prepared for a possible evacuation.
 
It was later determined that only three farms close to the derailment were evacuated.
 
The train derailed in two separate places.
 
The rail defect was named as the cause of the first derailment. The first derailment caused a chain reaction that resulted in a second set of cars leaving the track.
 
Ed Greenberg, spokesman for Canadian Pacific, said the company appreciated the work of the Transportation Safety Board.
 
"With any incident, we as a company always try to learn and improve as a result," Greenberg said. "We are recognized as the safest railway in North America... and we take that recognition very seriously. We want to make sure that we are learning from what took place in Airdrie and (that we) take the necessary steps to prevent similar instances from occurring."
 
He added that every instance of a derailment is given top priority, and in addition to the Transportation Safety Board, Canadian Pacific conducts its own detailed safety investigation.
 
He said the results of their investigation have led to corrective action to prevent similar events from happening.
 
Some of the action taken is outlined in the report from the Transportation Safety Board. The report states that CP has increased the frequency of rail defect testing, and has also implemented a revised rail testing protocol.
 
"Whenever there is an incident, our first priority is the safety of the general public and our crew, and we make sure to take all the appropriate actions to ensure that safety remains paramount," Greenberg said.
 
Marie Pollock.