TSB report says crew member had been awake 23 hours when train derailed

Canadian Pacific Railway locomotives move freight on May 16, 2012 (Jeff McIntosh / The Canadian Press)

CALGARY -- An investigation into a derailment at a Calgary railway yard has found that a crew member had been awake for 23 hours when the accident occurred.

The Transportation Safety Board says fatigue and inadequate train handling were behind 13 cars leaving the tracks at Canadian Pacific Railway's (TSX:CP) Alyth yard in February 2016.

There were no injuries and no dangerous goods were released.

The safety board's report notes that while employees have a duty to report to work well-rested, the company has a responsibility to allow overly tired workers to remove themselves from duty without fear of discipline.

The report says the train was moving slowly around a bend when the throttle was increased beyond the recommended speed maximum for the conditions.

It says the train's rear brakes weren't fully released, and the extra pull on the over-stretched train caused the wheels of several cars to climb the inside rail.

There was no requirement for the crew to review relevant train- handling material prior to moving the train, nor was there anything in the area to remind the crew there was a change in operating requirements at that location.

At time of the derailment, CP said one of the 13 derailed cars was carrying cargo -- a box car loaded with canned goods.

Electricity was also knocked out to about 280 customers of the utility company Enmax when a power pole was damaged.