CN elects trial by judge in McBride case WebPosted Jul 21 2004 05:48 PM PDT VANCOUVER - CN Rail has elected trial by judge alone on charges involving a fatal train wreck in Northern B.C. But a preliminary hearing must be held first to determine if there's enough evidence to bring the case to trial. The railway has been charged with failing to protect workers' safety – and failing to ensure a rail bridge was safe. CN employees Art McKay and Ken Lequesne died in May, 2003 when a rail bridge collapsed and their freight train plunged down a ravine near McBride. FROM MAY 15, 2003: Train derailment kills two A date for the preliminary inquiry has not been set. The case will be back in Prince George court on August 20. FROM FEB. 26, 2004: Rail investigation needed, says safety group CBC Vancouver
CN wants derailment report delayed By SIMON TUCK Thursday, February 24, 2005 - OTTAWA -- Canada's transportation watchdog is largely pointing the finger at Canadian National Railway Co. for a fatal derailment, in a report that the company wants delayed because it could affect a court case involving the same accident. The report by the Transportation Safety Board, a draft copy of which was viewed by The Globe and Mail, says the 2003 accident can "most likely" be traced to the failure of a bridge component that was faulty and crushed under the weight of the train. The component, called a cap, was identified as a problem in a 1999 review by CN, the report says, but the TSB could find no evidence that the bridge had been fixed. Transport Canada, the industry's regulator, issued three safety-related charges against CN in May, 2004, in connection with the accident. That case is scheduled to go before the B.C. Supreme Court in April. Media story
The TSB report on the accident has been released. Here are a couple of the media reports, and a link to the TSB report. Media Report Media Report Transportation Safety Board Report
Hi as a former CN employee and member of the Toronto Auxilliary wrecking crew its nice to see investigations into the real causes of train derailments in this modern age of high tech railroading the human factor is pushed aside .I started railroading as an Apprentice in the railroad Shops in 1950 quality workmanship and pride was instilled in me as a young man by old timers that things had to be right before it left our facility with the coming of roller bearing trucks burnt off journals has become almost non existent I would have to take a guess that 50 %of our derailments were caused by these .In wy day we had Section Foreman who walked the tracks or patroled their area in little gas Speeders many wrecks were avoided by the visual observations of these people .The Bridge & Building crews made the visual inspections of Bridges today all these services in my humble oppinion is the cause of many derailments crews are cut to a bare minium .too much is left to high teck devices .Human factors are the cause of some wrecks .well I expressed I know it will not be shared by all however I have gotten it off my chest
