FREIGHT TRAIN DERAILMENT IN PALESTINE, OHIO
- Transport Canada remains in contact with U.S. counterparts and will continue to closely monitor progress of U.S. rail safety policy and regulatory directions, as well as the evolving investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
- Lessons learned from this incident and future U.S. regulatory actions will be analyzed as more information becomes available, with a view to identify implications for Transport Canada’s regulatory safety regime.
- Transport Canada is continuously looking for ways to make our railway system even safer for Canadians.
SUPPLEMENTARY MESSAGES
- Since Lac-Mégantic many changes have been made to strengthen the rail safety regulatory framework and oversight regime such as enhanced tank car standards, speed reductions for trains carrying dangerous goods, additional inspectors and monetary fines for non-compliance to rules and regulations.
- The department is currently advancing additional measures to further enhance rail safety, including the adoption of enhanced train control and automatic parking brake technologies, new enforcement tools, and updated Safety Management Systems requirements for railways.
UPDATE
A number of railway safety bills with bi-partisan support have been introduced for consideration in the US Congress. Most notably, a draft Railway Safety Act of 2023 was introduced in the US Senate and contains a series of measures to be implemented by the US Department of Transportation, including new safety requirements for trains carrying dangerous goods, rail car inspections, and defect detectors.
SUPPORTING FACTS AND FIGURES
- TC increased the number of Railway Safety inspectors by 50% since 2013 from 101 to 155.
- Imposed speed restrictions on trains operating in metropolitan areas when transporting dangerous goods under the Key Train/Key Routes Rule.
- Introduced a more crash resistant TC/DOT 117 class of tank cars for flammable liquids (e.g., crude oil, gasoline, diesel).
- There is a requirement for railways to have Emergency Response Assistance Plans (ERAP) for flammable liquid.
BACKGROUND
On February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed 38 railcars in East Palestine, Ohio. The train was travelling just under the permitted speed limit of 50 mph. Eleven tank cars carrying dangerous goods derailed; five of these were older, less crash resistant TC/U.S. Department of Transport (DOT) model 111 tank cars, which breached upon derailment and subsequently ignited. The derailment was caused by a defective wheel bearing which overheated and failed. At this time, the NTSB has not indicated that there were any track defects, malfunctions with the trackside detectors, or errors by the crew.
First responders implemented a 1-mile evacuation zone surrounding the derailment site which affected 2,000 residents. During this response, additional cars carrying vinyl chloride (a highly flammable gas and known carcinogen used in plastic manufacturing) that were not breeched were vented and the vinyl chloride was burned.
Findings from the Ohio incident are still preliminary. It has illuminated several areas of rail safety policy that we expect could be the focus of further attention. This includes assessment of the rules governing use of trackside defect detectors by railway companies, including whether the spacing intervals, set temperature thresholds, and maintenance schedules for the devices are sufficient to ensure safe railway operations. From a dangerous goods perspective, TC expects the focus will be on timelines for phasing out older model 111 tank cars, more proactive emergency response plans in advance of an incident, and more robust communications with local authorities and first responders after an incident.