A spate of derailments caused brief disruptions on Canadian National Railway lines in Saskatchewan last week.
However, a CN spokesperson said the string of accidents doesn’t indicate a systemic safety problem at the railway.
Three derailments occurred in five days – two in Lloydminster and one southeast of Melville, Sask.
None of the incidents involved dangerous goods, resulted in injuries or environmental damage or disrupted traffic for any length of time.
As of Jan. 14, all three derailments were still under investigation and no causes had been established.
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Kevin Franchuk of CN declined to speculate as to the causes, although he noted that extreme cold weather, such as was experienced last week, can cause operational problems for the railways.
He rejected any suggestion the incidents reflect a systemic safety problem.
“CN places tremendous emphasis on safety and we work very hard to prevent accidents” through increased training, new technology and strict enforcement of safety rules.
As a result, the company’s safety record has been improving, he said, noting that the number of main track accidents across Canada declined by 39 percent in 2008, the third consecutive year in which accidents declined.
Here’s what happened last week:
- On Jan. 9, at 10 a.m., one car loaded with canola pellets went off the track in Lloydminster during normal yard operations. A locomotive fuel tank was damaged and there was a brief leak of diesel fuel that was quickly stopped.
- On Jan. 12, at 5:30 a.m., seven cars on a westbound freight train derailed, again in Lloydminster. Six of the cars were carrying rock and one was a car that maintains air pressure for the train. The line was closed until early evening.
Franchuk said there is no indication the Lloydminster accidents were related.
- On Jan. 13 at 10 p.m., 30 grain cars derailed on a feeder line south of Melville. The line was closed for a day.
The Canadian Wheat Board raised CN’s safety record last year.
The board said 74 of its 3,500 rail cars had been destroyed as a result of derailments during the previous four years, costing farmers more than $625,000.
Those derailments resulted in the loss of 7,600 tonnes of grain worth $2.4 million.
The board said of the 74 cars destroyed by derailment, 65 were lost on CN lines and nine on Canadian Pacific Railway lines.
