2019 derailment in central Alberta caused by 'undetected' rail defect: TSB

Damage to three Canadian Pacific rail cars after a train derailment in September 2019 near Blackfalds, Alta. (Source: TSB)

EDMONTON — A 2019 train derailment in central Alberta was caused by an “undetected” rail defect, despite testing performed 30 days before the incident.

According to the Transportation Safety Board (TSB), on Sept. 27, 2019 a Canadian Pacific Railway 75-car mixed freight train was southbound at 20 miles per hour when it derailed near Blackfalds, Alta., at around 10:36 p.m.

The TSB released its safety investigation into the incident on Monday.

Nine cars derailed, although only three cars leaked flammable fluids. The train spilled approximately 107,200 litres of diesel from one car and more than 188,000 litres of octane from two cars. The derailment destroyed or damaged about 500 feet of track.

Location of the train derailment near Blackfalds, Alta. in September 2019 (Source: TSB)

“Appropriate measures were taken by the railway, local first responders and federal and provincial authorities to protect the site and ensure public safety immediately following the derailment,” the TSB said in a statement.

The investigation into the incident found that “a sudden failure of the rail” occurred when a track defect that had been previously undetected for some time “had grown to a critical size.”

“The rail broke when it could no longer support the load of the passing train,” the transportation authority said.

Despite a quality test being performed 30 days prior to the derailment, no defects had been detected, the TSB said. According to the agency, the rail surface condition “adversely” affected the ability for inspection equipment to properly detect faults.

The federal transportation authority added that the wear on the rail “exceeded” railway requirements and should have been replaced.

“The rail remained in service until an undetected defect progressed to the point of failure,” the TSB said.

A piece of track recovered from the derailment that was analyzed for fatigue defects (Source: TSB)

All cars that released flammable fluids were complaint with federal legislation, the agency added.

“While only three cars lost product, there was potential for more catastrophic consequences.”

The safety investigation report noted that CP upgraded all the track infrastructure after the derailment and followed new guidelines issued by Transport Canada in November that year that implement speed restrictions for “higher risk key train(s).”

In 2019, there were more than 111,000 cars carrying dangerous goods transported along CP’s Leduc Subdivision between Edmonton and Red Deer.

Blackfalds is about 16 kilometres north of Red Deer.