CP, CN review safety procedures
Quebec crash causes concern
CALGARY — The disaster in Lac-Megantic, Que., has prompted Canada’s two largest railways to review their own safety procedures.
Nearly two weeks ago, an unmanned train belonging to the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic railway carrying 72 tank cars of oil crashed into the town, setting off explosions that are believed to have killed up to 50 people.
Canadian Pacific Railway said Thursday it’s strengthening some of its safety procedures following a review.
“The recent situation gave us a chance to thoroughly review our safety procedures, as we do on an ongoing basis,” said Ed Greenberg, a spokesman for Canada’s second-largest railway.
“The result is that we have now strengthened our operating procedures in some key areas that were identified from what recently occurred.”
An internal staff memo from last week, obtained by the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star newspapers, said the changes were in anticipation of new Transport Canada rules.
Greenberg said if trains must be left unattended outside a terminal or yard, the locomotive will be locked. In the past, that was only the case in some “high risk” locations.
Brake-setting procedures — which Greenberg says already meet or exceed regulations — will also be strengthened. And trains carrying dangerous material will not be left unattended on main line tracks.
“Our railway continually reviews practices and procedures to identify ways to further strengthen operating safety,” he said. “For CP, we felt implementing additional safety measures at this time was the prudent step to take.”
A spokesman for Montreal-based Canadian National Railway says the railway is also reviewing its safety procedures in light of LacMegantic.
Mark Hallman said Canadian National — Canada’s biggest railroad — already has “robust” policies in place to make sure its unattended trains are secure by relying on “multiple safety defences.”
For instance, air brakes are applied on both locomotives and throughout the train and the hand brake is applied to the lead locomotive, Hallman said.
All locomotives are also secured to prevent movement. The reverser — a piece of equipment similar to a gear shift in a car — is removed from the control stand, so that a train cannot move forward or backward.