Table 1. Railway occurrence and casualty in December 2020

Table 1. Railway occurrences and casualties, December 2020
  December Year to date
(December)
2020 2019 2015-2019
average
2020 2019 2015-2019
average
Accidents 72 90 85 959 1257 1091
Main-track train collisions 1 0 0 7 4 4
Main-track train derailments - 1-2 cars* 4 4 2 39 54 43
Main-track train derailments - 3-5 cars 0 1 1 3 6 7
Main-track train derailments - 6 or more cars 1 3 3 27 33 29
Crossings 16 13 15 129 178 157
Non-main-track train collisions 6 7 9 67 112 95
Non-main-track train derailments - 1-2 cars* 28 35 32 390 492 430
Non-main-track train derailments - 3-5 cars 3 9 8 66 87 84
Non-main-track train derailments - 6 or more cars 1 1 2 21 27 28
Collisions/Derailments involving track units 3 3 1 37 50 42
Employee/Passenger 0 3 2 8 15 15
Trespassers 4 4 3 58 56 64
Fires/Explosions 4 2 3 76 100 47
Other 1 4 4 31 42 47
Incidents 13 10 20 227 243 287
Main-track train derailments - 1-2 cars* (no damage) 0 1 0 1 3 4
Non-main-track train collisions* (no derailment, no damage) 0 0 0 1 0 2
Non-main-track train derailments - 1-2 cars* (no damage) 0 1 7 32 58 89
Dangerous goods leaker** 0 0 0 0 0 8
Main-track switch in abnormal position 0 0 1 3 15 11
Movement exceeds limits of authority 13 6 9 151 136 134
Uncontrolled movement of rolling stock 0 2 1 19 16 14
Others 0 0 2 20 15 26
Million train-miles (a)       83.22 88.88 84.88
Accidents/Million train-miles       11.52 14.14 12.85
Accidents involving dangerous goods 5 10 12 81 171 128
Main-track train derailments 0 2 1 7 19 14
Crossings 0 0 0 3 7 6
Non-main-track train collisions 1 2 3 13 44 33
Non-main-track train derailments 4 6 7 55 95 69
All others 0 0 1 3 6 6
Accidents with a DG release 0 1 1 3 9 6
Accidents involving passenger trains 3 3 4 41 47 55
Accidents involving an uncontrolled movement of rolling stock 3 1 3 26 62 46
Fatalities 2 3 3 59 72 63
Crossings 0 0 1 18 28 20
Trespassers 2 2 1 39 38 40
All others 0 1 1 2 6 3
Serious Injuries 2 7 5 38 65 65
Crossings 0 2 2 12 31 27
Trespassers 2 2 1 19 17 21
All others 0 3 2 7 17 17

Data extracted 15 January 2021

All 5-year averages have been rounded. The totals sometimes do not coincide to the sum of these averages.

New TSB regulations came into effect on July 1, 2014, changing some reporting requirements.

  1. Train-miles estimated. (Source: Transport Canada)

* Under new reporting requirements all derailments are reportable. The TSB has reviewed derailments and collisions back to January 1, 2014 and recategorized occurrences with minimal consequences as reportable incidents including: derailments involving 1 to 2 cars, with no equipment or track damage, no injuries, no fires,and no release of dangerous goods; Non-main-track collisions, with no equipment or track damage, no injuries, no fires, no release of dangerous goods, and did not foul the main track.

** TSB Regulations have been harmonized with Section 8.4 of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations, under which TSB DG leaker incidents are only reportable if they result in death or serious injury, evacuation, or the closure of a DG loading facility, a road, a main railway line, or a main waterway.

Note: This is preliminary information subject to year-end validation and reconciliation.