Feds report fewer train accidents – but they’re also watching fewer tracks

Good news: the number of reported fatalities on federally-regulated railways has fallen dramatically over the past decade.

Bad news: That’s partly because the amount of railway track being counted has changed.

There were 46 fatalities on federally-regulated railways last year, according to statistics from the Transportation Safety Board, and the number of such fatal accidents has fallen by half in the last decade: from 100 in 2005 to 46 in 2015.

That’s great news for rail safety. “It is a very good and positive trend. I’m happy with that for sure,” said Mike Regimbal, national director of Operation Lifesaver Canada, a partnership organization between industry and the federal government that promotes rail safety.

Fatal accidents at federally-regulated railway crossings have fallen at a similar rate, from 36 in 2005 to 15 in 2015, according to the TSB.

But in part, it’s because the federal government regulates fewer kilometres of railway than it used to.

“The number of collisions involving railway equipment at federally regulated grade crossings has declined over the last two decades, primarily as a result of a reduction in the kilometres of rail lines under federal jurisdiction and safety improvements funded by Transport Canada’s Grade Crossing Improvement Program,” wrote Transport Canada in a statement. The department says that between 2004 and 2014, there were about 8 per cent fewer federally-regulated route kilometres in Canada.

So it’s possible some accidents just aren’t being counted anymore, at least not at the federal level.

Different regulators

The TSB statistics are only part of the picture: there are more than 40,000 km of federally-regulated railway in Canada, and that seems to account for most of Canada’s train tracks. But the provinces are in charge of regulating the rest of Canada’s rail system – another 5,000 km or so, going by a 2014 Transport Canada report. Both B.C. and Ontario report having about 1,000 km apiece under their jurisdiction.

The Railway Association of Canada offers a slightly more complete picture of rail accidents than the federal government: they say there were 57 fatalities on their member railways in 2014, compared to 56 reported in the TSB data. Again though, that’s not the whole picture. Not all rail operators are members of the industry association, though it does include some provincially-regulated railways.

Some provinces make it easy to find out basic information on rail accidents. The B.C. Safety Authority regulates railways for that province, and periodically posts statistics on its website. There were two fatalities on B.C. railways from January to June of 2015 – the most recent statistics available. There were six in 2014. Ontario says accidents on its provincially-regulated railways are reported to the TSB.

According to an Alberta government website, the provincial rail safety database is confidential, at least for industrial railways.

There doesn’t seem to be a centralized location for all railway accident statistics across Canada.

Crossing improvements

Regimbal believes that rail accidents have fallen, largely due to better public awareness and crossing improvements.

“I think generally what’s changed is the public’s awareness is there,” he said. People better understand the danger that trains represent.

“Any time that a train would come in contact with a vehicle or with an individual on the rail line, there is no contest,” he said. “I mean that’s a huge piece of equipment. The momentum, the weight of it, the chances of survival are minimal and even if you do survive, you will be severely injured and that will impact the rest of your life and that of your family and friends that have to support you throughout your recovery period.”

Rail crossings have also been improved, with things like more visible lights and timers, according to Transport Canada, and new guidelines for development near train tracks mean that fewer people feel the need to cross or walk along tracks. Transport Minister Marc Garneau pledged $10.9 million toward further crossing improvements Wednesday morning.

But with murky statistics, it’s hard to measure how much such investments help.