Via Rail passenger train derails in Halifax, delays travels

Via Rail passenger train derails in Halifax No one was injured, but the weekly Sunday train from Halifax to Montreal was cancelled after three cars derailed in the south end.

HALIFAX -- A Via Rail passenger train partially derailed in the south end of Halifax Sunday morning.

Spokesperson for Via Rail, Marie-Anna Murat said in an email statement that three cars derailed in the maintenance center yard.

There were no passengers onboard at the time, and no crew members were injured in the accident, but the weekly train leaving from Halifax at 1 p.m. and heading to Montreal was cancelled.

Murat said the company would be reaching out to affected customers to offer alternative transportation, as well as a full refund.

“What they’re telling us is that we have to take the bus from Halifax to Montreal and then from Montreal we’ll get a connecting train to Coburg,” said passenger Doug McLaughlin.

The cause of the incident is unknown and remains under investigation.

Sunday’s derailment is the second accident this weekend involving Via Rail in Nova Scotia. A Via Rail employee remains in hospital with life threatening injuries after slipping under a moving train Friday afternoon in Truro.

Police say that just before 3 p.m. Friday afternoon, a 63-year-old employee was stepping off the train as it was coming into the station when he slipped, and was caught underneath the train.

There is no update on his condition but the investigation into the incident is on-going.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Allan April