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Overgrown brush caused London rail accident that broke conductor’s leg: report

Transportation Safety Board completes investigation into an incident where a conductor broke his leg at a CP rail yard in London. The Canadian Press

The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) has blamed overgrown brush for an incident last summer that led to a rail conductor breaking his leg.

The incident happened around 5:30 a.m. on July 31, 2017, when crews were moving a train at the CP rail yard on Quebec Street.

A report released by the TSB on Monday says a conductor was outside the lead engine, holding onto a ladder when they approached overgrown bushes and shrubs making it hard for him to hold on.

The emergency brake was applied, but it didn’t click all the way in so it took longer to stop than usual and when it finally did the movement caused the conductor to fall into the brush.

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When the train finally stopped, the movement caused the conductor to fall off the engine ladder, into the brush, breaking his leg.

The investigation shows the area was supposed to have the brush cleared up about a month before the incident happened, but track maintenance delayed the work.

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