Rail transportation occurrences in 2019

The TSB gathers and uses transportation occurrence data during the course of its investigations to analyze safety deficiencies and identify risks in the Canadian rail transportation system.

This summary covers federally regulated railways only. Non-federally regulated data reported to the TSB are not included in this report.

It should be noted that certain characteristics of the data constrain statistical analysis and identification of emerging trends. These include the small totals of accidents and incidents, the large variability in the data from year to year, and changes to regulations and definitions. The reader is cautioned to keep these limitations in mind when viewing this summary to avoid drawing conclusions that cannot be supported by statistical analysis.

The 2019 data were collected according to the reporting requirements described in the TSB Regulations in force during that calendar year.

The statistics presented here reflect the TSB Railway Occurrence Database System (RODS) database at 2 March 2020. Since the occurrence data are constantly being updated in the live database, the statistics may change slightly over time.

Also, as many occurrences are not formally investigated, information recorded on some occurrences may not have been verified.

Accidents^{Footnote 1}

Overview of accidents and casualties

In 2019, 1246 rail accidents were reported to the TSB (Figure 1), up from the 2018 total of 1169, and a 17% increase from the previous 10-year (2009–2018) average of 1064.

Image

Freight trains accounted for 33% of all trains involved in rail accidents in 2019. Three percent (47 in total) were passenger trains, with the remaining 64% comprising mainly single cars/cuts of cars, locomotives, and track units.

The largest proportion of reported rail accidents comprised non-main-track derailments^{Footnote 2} (48%) (Figure 2). Typically, most non-main-track accidents are minor, occurring during switching operations at speeds of less than 10 mph.

Image

* Due to rounding of percentages in category labels, additions across accident types should be calculated from Table 1 data rather than by adding percentages shown in Figure 2.

The proportion of accidents that were main-track derailments in 2019 (7%) was approximately the same as both the previous year and the 10-year average.

In 2019, 14% of rail accidents involved vehicles or pedestrians at rail crossings, below the 16% average of the previous 10 years. The proportion of other accident types^{Footnote 3} (21%) in 2019 is above the 10-year average (18%).

In 2019, 169 accidents involved dangerous goods,^{Footnote 4} up from 125 in 2018 and above the 10-year average of 127. Eight accidents resulted in a dangerous goods release in 2019, compared with 4 in 2018, and the 10-year average of 4.

Rail fatalities (Figure 3) totalled 72 in 2019, up from 57 reported last year and approximately the same as the previous 10-year average of 73. Crossing fatalities totalled 28 in 2019, up from 19 in 2018 and above the 10-year average of 22. Trespasser^{Footnote 5} fatalities totalled 38 in 2019, up from 34 in the previous year but below the 10-year average of 43. In 2019, 5 railway employees were fatally injured, above the 10-year average of 2 employee fatalities.

Image

A total of 64 serious injuries resulted from rail occurrences in 2019 (Figure 4), down from 91 in 2018 but above the 10-year average of 59. Trespasser injuries totalled 17 in 2019, down from 30 last year and below the 10-year average of 20. Fifteen railway employees were seriously injured in 2019, down from 17 in 2018 but above the 10-year average of 11. Crossing accidents^{Footnote 6} resulted in 31 serious injuries, down from 42 in 2018 but above the 10-year average of 27.

Image

The number of main-track accidents^{Footnote 7} totalled 276 in 2019 (Figure 5), up from 212 in 2018 and 51% above the 10-year average of 183. A portion of this increase in main-track accidents is due to the unusually high number of right of way fires on main-track reported to the TSB in 2019 (42). Rail activity^{Footnote 8} on main track (i.e., non-yard) increased by 1% from the previous year. The main-track accident rate in 2019 was 3.3 accidents per million main-track train miles, up from 2.6 in 2018 and 42% above the 10-year average of 2.3.

Kendall’s tau-b correlation and Sen’s estimate of slope were used to quantify the trend in main track accidents and accident rates shown in Figure 5. Kendall's tau-b (τb) correlation coefficient is a nonparametric measure of the strength and direction of association that exists between two variables. Kendall’s τb was calculated on the 11-year series of accident rate values by year from 2009 to 2019. There was a moderately strong, positive correlation that indicates an upward trend in accidents per million main-track train miles over the period (τb = 0.491, p = 0.036). Sen’s estimate of slope, the amount of upward rate change per year, was 0.0534 occurrences per million main-track miles per year.

Image

Accidents by type

Main-track collisions and derailments are the most serious categories of rail accidents in terms of potential risk to the public and financial loss (e.g., when passenger trains are involved or dangerous goods are released from trains that derail in populated areas).

There were 4 main-track collisions (Figure 6) in 2019, down from the 2018 total of 5 and down from the 10-year average of 5. No fatalities or serious injuries resulted from main-track collisions in 2019. There was no release of dangerous goods as a result of main-track collisions.

A total of 93 main-track derailments (Table 4) were reported in 2019, an increase from the 2018 total of 87, and 15% above the 10-year average of 81 (Figure 6). Twenty–four percent of the 93 main-track derailments occurred in British Columbia, 18% occurred in Alberta, and 18% occurred in Ontario.

The number of main-track derailments per million main-track (i.e., non-yard) train miles increased to 1.12 in 2019 from 1.05 the previous year and above the 10-year average of 1.03.

Image

Three fatalities and 1 serious injury resulted from main-track derailments in 2019. Nineteen main-track derailments involved dangerous goods, up from the 2018 total of 17 and above the 10-year average of 14. Six of these derailments resulted in release of product (2 crude oil, 1 diesel fuel and octanes, 1 octanes, 1 methanol, and 1 sulphuric acid).

In 2019, 27% of assigned factors^{Footnote 9} for main-track derailments were equipment-related, down from the 10-year average of 31%. Actions-related factors^{Footnote 10} accounted for 21% of assigned factors in 2019, the same as the 10-year average. Track-related factors were reported in 41% of main-track derailments in 2019, above the 10-year average of 37%.

Non-main-track collisions (table 6 and Figure 7) totalled 111 in 2019, up from the 2018 total of 101, and above the 10-year average of 94. Derailments occurred in 43% of non-main-track collisions, and 56% of the derailments resulting from non-main-track collisions involved the derailment of one car.

Non-main-track collisions resulted in no fatalites and 2 serious injuries in 2019. Dangerous goods were involved in 40% of non-main-track collisions, none of which resulted in a release of product.

Factors assigned to non-main-track collisions were mostly actions-related (90%), comparable to the 10-year average of 86% (Table 7). Failure to protect, such as improper positioning of movements and handling of switches, was assigned most often (58%) as a factor.

Image

There were 601 non-main-track derailments^{Footnote 11} in 2019 (Table 8 and Figure 7), similar to the 599 last year but 14% above the 10-year average of 527. In 81% of these accidents, 1 or 2 cars derailed. No fatalities or serious injuries resulted from non-main-track derailments in 2019.

Dangerous goods cars were involved in 16% of non-main-track derailment accidents, none of which resulted in a release of product.

In 2019, actions-related factors represented 47% of all assigned factors for non-main-track derailment accidents, similar to the 10-year average of 46% (Table 9). Track-related factors represented 25% of all assigned factors, below the 10-year average of 34%. Environmental-related factors represented 22% of all assigned factors in 2019, above the 10-year average of 8%.

Crossing accidents (tables 10 and 11) represented one of the more serious types of rail accidents in 2019, with 29% of these resulting in either serious or fatal injuries.

There were 175 crossing accidents in 2019, a 5% increase from the 2018 total of 167 and 2% above the 10-year average of 171. The number of accidents at public automated crossings (87) was similar to the 2018 total of 86, and the same as 10-year average of 87. Accidents at public passive crossings (48) decreased from the 2018 total of 52 and were 17% below the 10-year average of 58. Accidents at private and farm crossings (40) increased from the 2018 total of 29 and were 53% above the 10-year average of 26.

In 2019, the proportion of crossing accidents that occurred at public automated crossings was 50%, compared with 27% at public passive crossings (Figure 8). Although there are nearly twice as many public passive crossings than public automated crossings, the higher number of accidents occurring at automated crossings is due, in part, to higher vehicle and train traffic volumes at these crossings. The TSB is conducting ongoing research to better understand crossing accident data.

Image

There were 26 fatal crossing accidents in 2019, up from the 18 reported in 2018 and above the 10-year average of 20. Crossing-related fatalities totalled 28 in 2019, up from the 19 reported in 2018 and up from the 10-year average of 22.

Although crossing accidents involving pedestrians accounted for only 11% (19) of all crossing accidents in 2019, they accounted for 50% (13) of fatal crossing accidents and 46% of crossing-related fatalities.

Crossing-related serious injuries totalled 31 in 2019, down from the 2018 total of 42 but above the 10-year average of 27.

In 2019, 1 crossing accident resulted in a derailment, down from the 2018 total of 7 and below the 10-year average of 6.

No crossing accidents resulted in release of dangerous goods product in 2019.

Ontario had the highest proportion (27%) of all crossing accidents in 2019, above its 10-year average of 23%. Alberta had the second highest total with 20% of crossing accidents, followed by Quebec and  Saskatchewan with 14%, and British Columbia and Manitoba with 11% (Figure 9).

Image

Trespasser accidents (Table 12 and Figure 10) totalled 56 in 2019, down from 69 in 2018 and below the 10-year average of 67. Ontario accounted for 38% of trespasser accidents, followed by Alberta with 25%, British Columbia with 14%, and Quebec with 11%.

Image

In 2019, the proportion of trespasser accidents that were fatal (68%) was above the 10-year average of 64%. The proportion of trespasser accidents resulting in serious injuries (30%) was comparable to the 10-year average of 29%.

Incidents ^{Footnote 12}

Overview of incidents

In 2019, there were 236 reported rail incidents (Figure 11), down from 286 in 2018, and down from the 5-year average of 320.

Image

* New TSB Regulations came into effect on 1 July 2014.

“Movement exceeds the limit of authority”^{Footnote 13} accounted for 57% of reportable incidents in 2019 (Figure 12), followed by “non-main-track train derailments – no damage” (23%),  “uncontrolled movement of rolling stock” (7%), and “main-track switch in abnormal position” (6%).

In addition to the 16 “uncontrolled movement of rolling stock” incidents and 2 other derailment incidents involving an “uncontrolled movement of rolling stock” in 2019, there were 60 accidents involving an “uncontrolled movement of rolling stock,” for a total of 78 occurrences. This is more than the total (66) of those occurrences in 2018, and a 36% increase from the 10-year average of 57.

There were 134 incidents in 2019 where the movement exceeded the limit of authority, a decrease from the 138 reported in 2018 but 11% above the 10-year average of 121.

Image

Data tables

Definitions

The following definitions apply to rail transportation occurrences that are required to be reported pursuant to the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act and the associated regulations.

Occurrence

• Any accident or incident associated with the operation of rolling stock on a railway
• Any situation or condition that the Board has reasonable grounds to believe could, if left unattended, induce an accident or incident described below

Reportable accident

• A person is killed or sustains a serious injury as a result of
  • getting on or off or being on board the rolling stock, or
  • coming into contact with any part of the rolling stock or its contents
• The rolling stock or its contents
  • sustain damage that affects the safe operation of the rolling stock,
  • cause or sustain a fire or explosion, or
  • cause damage to the railway that poses a threat to the safe passage of rolling stock or to the safety of any person, property or the environment

Reportable incident

• A risk of collision occurs between rolling stock
• An unprotected main track switch or subdivision track switch is left in an abnormal position
• A railway signal displays a less restrictive indication than that required for the intended movement of rolling stock
• Rolling stock occupies a main track or subdivision track, or track work takes place, in contravention of the Rules or any regulations made under the Railway Safety Act
• Rolling stock passes a signal indicating stop in contravention of the Rules or any regulations made under the Railway Safety Act
• There is an unplanned and uncontrolled movement of rolling stock
• A crew member whose duties are directly related to the safe operation of the rolling stock is unable to perform their duties as a result of a physical incapacitation which poses a threat to the safety of persons, property or the environment, or
• There is an accidental release on board or from a rolling stock which results in any of the events listed in subsection 8.4(2) of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations, under which TSB DG leaker incidents are only reportable if they result in death or serious injury, evacuation, or the closure of a DG loading facility, a road, a main railway line, or a main waterway.
• Derailment or non-main track collision (involving one to two cars) occurs without damage or injury

Serious injury

• A fracture of any bone, except simple fractures of fingers, toes or the nose
• Lacerations that cause severe hemorrhage or nerve, muscle or tendon damage
• An injury to an internal organ
• Second or third degree burns, or any burns affecting more than 5% of the body surface
• A verified exposure to infectious substances or injurious radiation, or
• An injury that is likely to require hospitalization

Dangerous goods involvement

“Dangerous goods” has the same meaning as in Section 2 of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act. An accident is considered to have dangerous goods involvement if any car in the consist carrying (or having last contained) a dangerous good derails, strikes or is struck by any other rolling stock or object. It does not mean that there was any release of any product. Also included are crossing accidents in which the motor vehicle involved (e.g., tanker truck) is carrying a dangerous good.

Derailment

Any instance where one or more wheels of rolling stock have come off the normal running surface of the rail, including occurrences where there are no injuries and no damage to track or equipment.