Rail transportation occurrences in 2020

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 2020 data were collected according to the reporting requirements described in the Transportation Safety Board Regulations in force during that calendar year.

The statistics presented here reflect the TSB Railway Occurrence Database System (RODS) database at 15 February 2021. 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 2020, 965 rail accidents were reported to the TSB (Figure 1), down from the 2019 total of 1256, and an 11% decrease from the previous 10-year (2010–2019) average of 1083.

Image

Freight trains accounted for 34% of all trains involved in rail accidents in 2020. Four percent (42 in total) were passenger trains, with the remaining 62% 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} (50%) (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 2020 (7%) was approximately the same as both the previous year and the 10-year average.

In 2020, 13% 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} (16%) in 2020 was above the 10-year average (12%).

In 2020, 82 accidents involved dangerous goods,^{Footnote 4} down from 171 in 2019 and below the 10-year average of 131. Three accidents resulted in a dangerous goods release in 2020, compared with 8 in 2019, and the 10-year average of 4.

Rail fatalities (Figure 3) totalled 59 in 2020, down from 72 reported last year and below the the previous 10-year average of 73. Crossing fatalities totalled 18 in 2020, down from 28 in 2019 and below the 10-year average of 23. Trespasser^{Footnote 5} fatalities totalled 39 in 2020, up from 38 in the previous year but below the 10‑year average of 42. In 2020, 2 railway employees were fatally injured, below the 10-year average of 3 employee fatalities.

Image

A total of 38 serious injuries resulted from rail occurrences in 2020 (Figure 4), down from 65 in 2019 and below the 10-year average of 61. Trespasser serious injuries totalled 19 in 2020, up from 17 last year but below the 10-year average of 20. Seven railway employees were seriously injured in 2020, down from 16 in 2019 and below the 10-year average of 11. Crossing accidents^{Footnote 6} resulted in 12 serious injuries, down from 31 in 2019 and below the 10-year average of 28.  

Image

The number of main-track accidents^{Footnote 7} totalled 205 in 2020 (Figure 5), down from 277 in 2019 but 6% above the 10-year average of 194. As in 2019, a portion of main-track accidents in 2020 is due to an unusually high number of right of way fires on main-track reported to the TSB in 2020 (43). Rail activity^{Footnote 8} on main track (i.e., non-yard) decreased by 10% from the previous year. The main-track accident rate in 2020 was 2.7 accidents per million main-track train miles, down from 3.3 in 2019 but 12% above the 10‑year average of 2.4.

Kendall’s tau-b (τb) 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 (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 2010 to 2020. There was a moderately strong, positive correlation that indicates an upward trend in accidents per million main-track train miles over the period (τb = 0.564, p = 0.016). Sen’s estimate of slope, the amount of upward rate change per year, was 0.0687 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 7 main-track collisions (Table 1 and Figure 6) in 2020, up from the 2019 total of 4 and up from the 10-year average of 5. No fatalities or serious injuries resulted from main-track collisions in 2020. There was no release of dangerous goods as a result of main-track collisions.

A total of 70 main-track derailments (Table 4) were reported in 2020, a decrease from the 2019 total of 93, and 16% below the 10-year average of 84 (Figure 6). Thirty percent of the 70 main-track derailments occurred in British Columbia, 20% occurred in Ontario, and 16% occurred in Alberta.

The number of main-track derailments per million main-track (i.e., non-yard) train miles decreased to 0.93 in 2020 from 1.12 the previous year and below the 10-year average of 1.05.

Image

No fatalities or serious injuries resulted from main-track derailments in 2020. Seven main-track derailments involved dangerous goods, down from the 2019 total of 19 and below the 10-year average of 14. Two of these derailments resulted in a release of product (crude oil).

In 2020, 26% of assigned factors^{Footnote 9} for main-track derailments (Table 5) were equipment-related, down from the 10-year average of 31%. Actions-related factors^{Footnote 10} accounted for 25% of assigned factors in 2020, up from the 10-year average of 22%. Track-related factors were reported in 31% of main-track derailments in 2020, below the 10-year average of 37%.

Non-main-track collisions (Table 6 and Figure 7) totalled 67 in 2020, down from the 2019 total of 112, and below the 10-year average of 96. Derailments occurred in 33 non-main-track collisions (49%), and 16 of those derailments involved the derailment of only one car.

No fatalities or serious injuries resulted from non-main-track collisions in 2020. Dangerous goods were involved in 19% 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 (85%), comparable to the 10-year average of 87% (Table 7). Failure to protect, such as improper positioning of movements and handling of switches, was assigned most often (57%) as a factor.

Image

There were 481 non-main-track derailments^{Footnote 11} in 2020 (Table 8 and Figure 7), down from the 606 last year and 10% below the 10-year average of 536. In 82% of 2020 accidents, 1 or 2 cars derailed. No fatalities or serious injuries resulted from non-main-track derailments in 2020.

Dangerous goods cars were involved in 12% of non-main-track derailment accidents, none of which resulted in a release of product.

In 2020, actions-related factors represented 51% of all assigned factors for non-main-track derailment accidents, above the 10-year average of 47% (Table 9). Track-related factors represented 29% of all assigned factors, below the 10-year average of 33%. Environmental-related factors represented 13% of all assigned factors in 2020, above the 10-year average of 10%.

Crossing accidents (tables 10 and 11) represented one of the more serious types of rail accidents in 2020, with 19% of these resulting in serious or fatal injuries.

There were 129 crossing accidents in 2020, a 28% decrease from the 2019 total of 178 and 24% below the 10-year average of 170. The number of accidents at public automated crossings (54) was down from the 2019 total of 87, and below the 10-year average of 86. Accidents at public passive crossings (56) increased from the 2019 total of 49 and were similar to the 10-year average of 57. Accidents at private and farm crossings (19) decreased from the 2019 total of 42 and were 31% below the 10-year average of 27.

In 2020, 42% of crossing accidents occurred at public automated crossings, and 43% at public passive crossings (Figure 8). Although there are nearly twice as many public passive crossings than public automated crossings, the comparable number of accidents occurring at automated crossings is due, in part, to higher vehicle and train traffic volumes at the automated crossings. The TSB is conducting ongoing research to better understand the causes of crossing accidents.

Image

There were 16 fatal crossing accidents in 2020, down from the 26 reported in 2019 and below the 10-year average of 21. Crossing-related fatalities totalled 18 in 2020, down from the 28 reported in 2019 and below the 10-year average of 23.

Crossing accidents involving pedestrians accounted for 9% (11) of all crossing accidents in 2020, but 25% (4) of fatal crossing accidents and 22% of crossing-related fatalities.

Crossing-related serious injuries totalled 12 in 2020, down from the 2019 total of 31 and below the 10‑year average of 28.

In 2020, 3 crossing accidents resulted in a derailment, up from 1 in 2019 but below the 10-year average (5).

One crossing accident resulted in the release of a dangerous good in 2020 (liquified petroleum gas).

Alberta had the highest proportion (24%) of all crossing accidents in 2020, above its 10-year average of 22%. Manitoba had the second highest total with 17% of crossing accidents, followed by Quebec and Ontario with 16% each, and British Columbia with 14% (Figure 9).

Image

Trespasser accidents (Table 12 and Figure 10) totalled 58 in 2020, up from 56 in 2019 but below the 10‑year average of 65. Ontario accounted for 36% of trespasser accidents, followed by Alberta with 21%, British Columbia with 19%, and Quebec with 12%.

Image

In 2020, the proportion of trespasser accidents that were fatal (67%) was above the 10-year average of 64%. The proportion of trespasser accidents resulting in serious injuries (33%) was above the 10-year average of 31%.

Incidents^{Footnote 12}

Overview of incidents

In 2020, there were 227 reported rail incidents (Figure 11), down from 243 in 2019.

Image

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

“Movement exceeds the limit of authority”^{Footnote 13} accounted for 67% of reportable incidents in 2020 (Table 13), followed by “non-main-track train derailments – no damage” (14%), “uncontrolled movement of rolling stock” (8%), and “derailment involving track unit – no damage” (4%).

In 2020 there were 19 “uncontrolled movement of rolling stock” incidents, as well as 1 derailment incident and 1 collision incident that involved an uncontrolled movement of rolling stock. In addition, 29 accidents involved an uncontrolled movement of rolling stock, for a total of 50 occurrences. This is fewer than the total (80) of those occurrences in 2019, and a 17% decrease from the 10-year average of 60.

There were 151 incidents in 2020 where the movement exceeded the limit of authority, an increase from the 136 reported in 2019 and 22% above the 10-year average of 124.

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.