Rail transportation safety recommendations

a system-wide assessment of Canadian National's track and turnout inspection reporting and supervisory review procedures be conducted by either Transport Canada or the railway.

the Department of Transport ensure that an assessment is made of the technologies designed for the safe separation of railway rolling stock movements, with the intent of establishing a minimum safety standard.

the Department of Transport ensure that an assessment is made of the suitability of current Canadian Rail Operating Rules and railway instructions concerning the immediate reporting of operating delays to all concerned when there is a safety risk.

the Department of Transport and the railway industry implement additional backup safety defences to help ensure that signal indications are consistently recognized and followed.

the Department of Transport assess the impact of noise on voice communication in locomotive cabs and ensure that crew members can effectively communicate safety-critical information.

the Department of Transport require the development of additional permanent system defences that permit a means to help ensure safety when trains approach main track switches in Occupancy Control System outside Automatic Block Signal System territory.

the Department of Transport, the Railway Association of Canada and provincial authorities responsible for train operation review the system design specifications for computer-assisted and non-computer-assisted Occupancy Control System in Canada to ensure all components of these systems are designed with sufficient regard to human error.

the Department of Transport review the current regulatory framework and industry policy to help ensure that an adequate level of safety is maintained regarding the storage of dangerous goods within the rail transportation system and during the transition of shipments of dangerous goods to or from the rail transportation system.

the Department of Transport and the Railway Association of Canada ensure that maintenance standards and practices address the level of risks in heavy tonnage "other than main tracks".

the Department of Transport expedite the promulgation of new grade crossing regulations.

the Department of Transport's new regulations include horizontal alignment standards for approaches to private and farm crossings.

the Department of Transport, in cooperation with Canadian National, comprehensively examine all private and farm crossings on the Kingston Subdivision with a view to closing or consolidating crossings, and where identified as necessary, upgrade those remaining to lessen the safety risk.

the Department of Transport review the classification and safety marks for anhydrous ammonia to ensure that it is in a class and division consistent with the risks it poses to the public.

the Department of Transport, in conjunction with the tank car owners, review the existing inspection and maintenance program for thermal protection of tank cars already in service, and ensure that their thermal protection systems confer acceptable thermal resistance to reduce the risk of the premature release of dangerous goods in a fire.

Transport Canada review the provisions of Schedule I and the requirements for emergency  plans to ensure that the transportation of liquid hydrocarbons is consistent with the risks posed to the public.

Transport Canada ensure that the design specifications for locomotive event recorders include provisions regarding the survivability of data.

the Department of Transport, in co-operation with the industry, research the issue of continuous operation of UDE problematic trains and establish policies and procedures to resolve this issue.

the Department of Transport, in conjunction with the railway industry, establish comprehensive national standards for locomotive data recorders that include a requirement for an on-board cab voice recording interfaced with on-board communications systems.

the Department of Transport implement new grade crossing procedures without delay irrespective of the status of the proposed regulations.

CN verify the condition of its timber bridges and ensure their continued safety with effective inspection and maintenance programs.

the Department of Transport incorporate in its compliance reviews a comparison of railway working procedures and practices with railway inspection and maintenance records.

Transport Canada encourage the railway companies to implement technologies and/or methods of train control to assure that in-train forces generated during emergency braking are consistent with safe train operation.

the Department of Transport, in consultation with the provinces and the trucking industry, review and update, as necessary, educational and training material for drivers with respect to the risks associated with a heavy vehicle negotiating a public passive railway crossing.

the Department of Transport, in consultation with other federal, provincial, and municipal agencies, implement consistent training requirements that ensure emergency first responders remain competent to respond to rail accidents involving dangerous goods.

the Department of Transport work with the Railway Association of Canada to implement rail traffic control protocols and training that will recognize periods of high workload and make safety paramount.

the Department of Transport assess the risk to pedestrians at all multi-track main-line crossings, make its assessment public and implement a program, in conjunction with stakeholders, to mitigate the risk of second-train pedestrian accidents.

the Department of Transport establish minimum standards for the quality and strength of maintenance rails.

the Department of Transport establish standards requiring that rails approaching their fatigue limit be replaced.

the Department of Transport and the railway industry conduct in-depth studies on the behaviour of saturated organic materials under cyclic loading.

the Department of Transport extend the safety provisions of the construction standards applicable to 286 000-pound cars to all new non-pressurized tank cars carrying dangerous goods.

the Department of Transport ensure that all 36-inch Canadian National Transcona wheel shop wheel sets assembled between April 1998 and February 2001 be removed from cars operating in Canada.

the Department of Transport ensure that railways adopt procedures and technologies to track all wheel sets.

Transport Canada conduct safety assessments of level crossings on the high-speed passenger rail Québec-Windsor corridor and ensure that defences are adequate to mitigate the risk of truck/train collisions.

Transport Canada implement standards to improve the visibility of emergency contact signage at railway crossings in Canada.

Canadian National take effective action to identify and mitigate risks to safety as required by its safety management system, and the Department of Transport require Canadian National to do so.

Transport Canada work with the provincial governments to expedite the implementation of a national standard for low ground clearance advance warning signs at railway crossings.

the Department of Transport, in conjunction with the railway industry and other North American regulators, establish a protocol for reporting and analyzing tank car stub sill failures so that unsafe cars are repaired or removed from service.

the Department of Transport require major Canadian passenger and freight railways implement physical fail-safe train controls, beginning with Canada's high-speed rail corridors.

the Department of Transport require that all controlling locomotives in main line operation be equipped with in-cab video cameras.

the Department of Transport require that crashworthiness standards for new locomotives also apply to rebuilt passenger and freight locomotives.

the Department of Transport and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration require that all Class 111 tank cars used to transport flammable liquids meet enhanced protection standards that significantly reduce the risk of product loss when these cars are involved in accidents.

the Department of Transport set stringent criteria for the operation of trains carrying dangerous goods, and require railway companies to conduct route planning and analysis as well as perform periodic risk assessments to ensure that risk control measures work.

the Department of Transport require emergency response assistance plans for the transportation of large volumes of liquid hydrocarbons.

the Department of Transport require Canadian railways to put in place additional physical defences to prevent runaway equipment.

the Department of Transport audit the safety management systems of railways in sufficient depth and frequency to confirm that the required processes are effective and that corrective actions are implemented to improve safety.

the Department of Transport, in consultation with the provinces, develop comprehensive guidelines for the installation and use of in-vehicle video monitor displays to reduce the risk of driver distraction.

the Department of Transport develop and implement crashworthiness standards for commercial passenger buses to reduce the risk of injury.

the Department of Transport require commercial passenger buses to be equipped with dedicated, crashworthy event data recorders.

the Department of Transport provide specific guidance as to when grade separation should be considered.

the City of Ottawa reconsider the need for grade separation at the Woodroffe Avenue, Transitway and Fallowfield Road level crossings.

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.

the Department of Transport acquire rail surface condition data, including information on localized surface collapse, rail end batter and crushed heads, and incorporate it into its risk-based planning approach for targeted regulatory track inspections.

the Department of Transport work with stakeholders to identify engineering options for the improvement of crossings designated for persons using assistive devices, conduct an assessment of their effectiveness, and update its regulatory provisions as appropriate.

to address the existing gaps for railway employees in safety-critical positions related to training, qualification and re-qualification standards, and regulatory oversight.

the Department of Transport work with the railway industry and its labour representatives to identify the underlying causes of uncontrolled movements that occur while switching without air, and develop and implement strategies and/or regulatory requirements to reduce their frequency.

that the Department of Transport establish enhanced test standards and requirements for time-based maintenance of brake cylinders on freight cars operating on steep descending grades in cold ambient temperatures.

that the Department of Transport require Canadian freight railways to develop and implement a schedule for the installation of automatic parking brakes on freight cars, prioritizing the retrofit of cars used in bulk commodity unit trains in mountain grade territory.

that the Department of Transport require Canadian Pacific Railway Company to demonstrate that its safety management system can effectively identify hazards arising from operations using all available information, including employee hazard reports and data trends; assess the associated risks; and implement mitigation measures and validate that they are effective.

the Department of Transport require major Canadian railways to expedite the implementation of physical fail-safe train controls on Canada’s high-speed rail corridors and on all key routes.

the Department of Transport require, under the Railway Employee Qualification Standards Regulations, Canadian railways to develop and implement modern initial and recurrent crew resource management training as part of qualification training for railway operating employees.

the Department of Transport establish minimum standards for the type, location and requirement for fencing along railway right-of-way approaching railway bridges and any other areas where frequent pedestrian incursions are known.

the Department of Transport prescribe condemning limits for combination truck component wear for all leased cars in service on federally regulated railways.

The Department of Transport coordinate the necessary protocols with the AAR and Canadian railways to effect cost recovery by carrying railways which take corrective action to replace components which exceed specified condemning limits for combination truck component wear on leased cars in service.

the Department of Transport review the adequacy of current railway practices with respect to timely corrective action when rail head wear exceeds specified wear limits.

The Department of Transport reassess the adequacy of Canadian railway requirements for main line rail testing, taking into account the age of the rail and the nature of the traffic.

the Department of Transport reassess the adequacy of current Canadian railway procedures and equipment for main track rail testing for: a identifying rail defects on curved track, and b identifying vertical split head defects.

the Department of Transport ensure that federally regulated railways are correctly applying appropriate standards for destressing continuous welded rail.

the Department of Transport coordinate with the appropriate provincial authorities to require that tank trucks placarded for the transport of dangerous goods stop at all public crossings before proceeding.

the Ontario Minister of Transportation ensure that passenger coaches on the Ontario Northland Railway have adequate means for securing baggage in overhead racks or bins.

the Deparment of Transport review the application of CROR Rule 105 with a view to ensuring that an appropriate safety factor is maintained with opposing movements.

the Department of Transport assess the design of the current passenger locomotive fuel tanks and require, in the short term, that measures be taken to improve their crashworthiness, including limiting fuel spillage.

the Department of Transport re-assess the risk associated with operating cabooseless trains without an illuminated rear marker.

the Department of Transport, in cooperation with the railways, the provincial and local authorities, implement, on a priority basis, a program to upgrade the pedestrian protection systems on those multiple-track mainline crossings in populated areas warranting immediate attention.

the Depatment of Transport develop and implement policies and procedures for a national audit program that will effectively evaluate the railways' ability to maintain national safety standards.

the Department of Transport assess the trailer securement system and related safety inspections of the Iron Highway to ensure that the risks associated with the securement of highway trailers are appropriately addressed.