Transportation Safety Board of Canada Continues Quest for PTC-Like System After 2023 Collision of BNSF Trains

RICHMOND, British Columbia –– This week the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released its report on the 2023 collision of two BNSF trains in Delta, British Columbia.

The TSB press release associated with the report said “On November 19, 2023, BNSF Railway Company freight train 804 was travelling north on the New Westminster Subdivision in BC when it passed a stop signal and collided with southbound freight train 118 as it was entering a siding in Delta. Two multi-platform intermodal cars on train 118 derailed. On train 804, two locomotives and five cars derailed upright, including two tank cars loaded with liquefied petroleum gas and one residue tank car that had previously carried the same product. A fuel tank on the lead locomotive of train 804 sustained extensive damage, releasing approximately 8000 litres of diesel fuel.”

The release went on to say that “The investigation determined that the crew of train 804 may have been distracted by an activity unrelated to train operations and likely did not observe a signal indicating they should be prepared to stop at the next signal. Prior communication with railway traffic control may have influenced the crew’s mental model that the subject signal would be permissive and allow them to proceed. As a result, they did not reduce speed, and their reaction was delayed when they encountered the Stop signal.

“Following the occurrence, BNSF Railway Company voluntarily implemented positive train control on its New Westminster Subdivision, using the same approach applied in the United States, including the installation of required wayside infrastructure. BNSF’s main line in Canada is now protected by a safety system that would automatically apply the brakes if a train were to approach a Stop signal too fast. Additionally, the company implemented a crew focus zone for its Canadian operations to reduce distractions and now captures in-cab video recordings while operating in Canada.”

BNSF train collision site. Courtesy Railway Association of Canada and Transportation Safety Board.

You can find more information on the TSB website’s Investigations Page and you can download and read the TSB Investigation Report below.