CN does not own the tank cars, said Hallman, but he declined to reveal who does, citing contractual confidentiality.
The investigation into the first Gogama derailment is ongoing. In its Feb. 23 progress update, the TSB wrote that the Class 111 tank cars built to the CPC-1232 standard, which had been travelling at the speed of 38 mph (61 km/h) at the time of derailment, “performed similarly to those involved in the Lac-Mégantic accident which occurred at 65 mph (105 km/h).”
The TSB reiterated that it wants tougher standards than CPC-1232 for all Class 111 tank cars.
“The TSB has warned (Transport Canada) that this standard was not sufficient and that more needed to be done to provide an adequate level of protection,” according to the update.
“Preliminary assessment of the CPC-1232-compliant tank cars involved in (the first Gogama derailment) demonstrates the inadequacy of this standard given the tank cars’ similar performance to the legacy Class 111 tanks cars involved in the Lac-Mégantic accident.”
Saturday’s incident is the fourth CN derailment in northern Ontario this year.
Either CN trackage needs attention badly or there may be an effort to cause trouble by the environmental types by tampering with the tracks, signals, switches or all of the above.
A tank car full of crude weighs in at about 260,000 to 275,000 pounds. Not only do the cars have to be safe, but the rails, bridges, etc., have to be up to snuff. There’s a railyard near me, and I’ve looked down the tracks. They bend all over the place! Like the tracks of two snakes in the snow. No wonder the trains just creep into the yard! I know it takes a pretty fair distance to slow/stop a train, but these tracks are totally screwy!