MISSED TRAIN STOP SIGNAL
LOCATION: Cornwall, ON
ISSUE: A Canadian National (CN) Railway train passed a stop signal on the Kingston subdivision near Cornwall, ON resulting in the delay of two VIA trains using the same track.
DATE: April 14, 2023
SUGGESTED RESPONSES
- Transport Canada is reviewing the incident involving a Canadian National train that went by a stop signal near Cornwall, Ontario.
- The department remains in regular contact with CN and VIA to obtain all relevant information regarding this occurrence.
- If non-compliance with the Railway Safety Act or a safety concern is found, the department will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action.
IF PRESSED:
- The department is continuously looking for ways to make our railway system even safer for Canadians, including the adoption of Enhanced Train Control technologies to prevent accidents which can be caused by human error, such as passing a stop signal.
Background information
- On April 13, 2023, a Canadian National Railway (CN) train went past a stop signal by 26 car lengths on the CN Kingston subdivision near Cornwall, ON.
- The CN train was heading eastbound on the south track when the train crew initiated emergency brake application and came to a stop past the signal.
- A VIA train that had departed the nearby station was heading westbound. on the south main track. The VIA train crew was made aware that the CN train passed the signal and stopped on the south track safely.
- The intent was to have the CN train stop before the signal to let VIA train 67, departing Cornwall station, crossover from the south track to the north track and proceed west to Toronto.
- The resulting CN investigation and crew change immediately following the incident resulted in two VIA trains being delayed. VIA train 64 with 238 passengers was delayed by 1h39 and the VIA train 67, with 167 passengers, was delayed by 1h52.
- CN is taking steps to confirm that the signal was working properly.
- Ontario Region inspectors are conducting inspection of CN and VIA to gather additional information. If non-compliance or a safety concern is found, the department will take appropriate enforcement action.
- The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) did not deploy an investigator to the scene. It is unknown, whether the TSB will open an investigation.
- Enhanced Train Control is a technology which can prevent train-to-train collisions, derailments caused by excessive train speed, unauthorized entry of a train into a work zone; or train movement through a misaligned track switch leading a train to be on the wrong track.
- On February 5th, 2022, Transport Canada published a Notice of intent for the full implementation of Enhanced Train Control (ETC) in Canada by 2030. The department is currently developing regulations to implement this important safety technology.