Two Canadian Pacific Railway trains collided in the middle of Toronto early yesterday, in a neighbourhood with backyards on both sides of the tracks. The trains, going in opposite directions, made contact just as one train was changing tracks.
No one was injured but 1200 litres of diesel fuel leaked from the punctured locomotive. Clean-up crews were able to contain the leak before it affected storm sewers or waterways.
The last three cars of the sideswiped train contained some dangerous goods including aerosol containers, alcoholic beverages, batteries and non-flammable gases under pressure, according to the Transportation Safety Board. None of these products were released during the derailment.
“It’s far too close to home.”
Martin Cej, a spokesperson for Calgary-based CP Rail, said the derailed cars and locomotives have been removed, and track work is continuing, as an environmental assessment and investigation into the collision are now underway.
Transportation Minister, Marc Garneau, said he is waiting to here more about the reasons for the collision, before taking action.
Pauline Quinlan is the mayor of Bromont, in Quebec’s Eastern Townships. She is also the Chair of the Rail Safety Working Group of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
During a meeting with Garneau in July, she expressed the federation’s relief with the news that new DOT 117 tank cars will be phased in sooner as an accelerated phase-out of DOT 111 legacy cars is underway. The 111 cars don’t have the double casing, and were the cars in use when the runaway train derailed at Lac Megantic, Quebec 3 years ago.
Madame Quinlan reitierated, however, the safer railway operation is just as important as tank car sturdiness for reducing derailment frequency and scale.
Earlier this summer, Canadian Pacific Railway announced the layoff of 500 track maintenance workers. Gary Doherty, president of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference maintenance division, said at the time, the layoff of track workers could raise the risk of future train derailments and potential disasters.
ListenCanadian Pacific said it had invested heavily in track infrastructure for years and that the layoffs announced at the end of June are temporary until business picks up again.
Gary Doherty says from initial reports it appears track issues were not involved in this derailament, but he cautions that the upcoming harvest, with a bumper crop of wheat to transport, will put more pressure on the rails.
In the meantime, more residents are alarmed at the contents of trains moving through heavily popluted areas of Canada.
Toronto City Councillor Josh Matlow told CBC radio this morning that this derailment has renewed concern.
“Having this derailment happen so close to home, certainly I hope it serves as a wake-up call to the federal government to accelerate their commitments on improving safety standards as we requested,” he said.
“It’s far too close to home.” Matlow said.
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