R17-01 - Derailment of Canadian National Railway freight train February 14, 2015

R15H0013 – Derailment of Canadian National Railway freight train U70451-10 in Gladwick, Ontario on February 14, 2015

Transportation Safety Board full-text report (R15H0013)

Transportation Safety Board (TSB) Recommendation R17-01

From the TSB final report

The Board recommends that:

“The Department of Transport conduct a study on the factors that increase the severity of the outcomes for derailments involving dangerous goods, identify appropriate mitigating strategies including train speeds for various train risk profiles and amend the Rules Respecting Key Trains and Key Routes accordingly. (R17-01)”

Transport Canada’s Response R17-01

(signed by the Minister of Transport on May 15, 2017)

Transport Canada acknowledges the recommendation and will conduct a literature review of existing studies, beyond those the department has already reviewed. This may provide additional analysis of speed and other factors which can directly influence the severity of the outcomes of the derailment of trains carrying dangerous goods.

The results of this literature review will be used to determine whether additional scientific and engineering analysis would be meaningful to further the department’s understanding of factors affecting the severity of derailments to determine whether changes are warranted to the Rules Respecting Key Trains and Key Routes.

Study on the Factors that Increase the Severity of the Outcomes for Derailments Involving Dangerous Goods and Identification of Mitigation Measures – Executive Summary