OC Transpo enhances notification process after three incidents in rail yard go unreported

An east-bound OTrain pulls in to Rideau Station on the Confederation Line of the Light Rail Transit system in Ottawa, ON. (Brenda Woods/CTV Ottawa)

OC Transpo says it will notify the Transportation Safety Board of every incidence in the rail yard after three incidents at the Belfast Yard were not initially reported to the agency.

There have been more than 20 incidents in the Belfast Maintenance and Storage Yard since the O-Train launched in September 2019. There were also two minor incidents in the yard in May and June 2019 before the service was launched.

In a memo to council Friday evening, transit services general manager Renee Amilcar says while preparing a response to a media inquiry regarding the number of derailments and collisions at the Belfast yard, OC Transpo became aware of three "minor events" that were not reported to the Transportation Safety Board. CTV News Ottawa did not file the original request for information, and Amilcar did not name the media outlet.

In September 2019, the city and the TSB signed a Memorandum of Understanding, formalizing the reporting criteria and procedures between the two organizations.

"Since O-Train Line 1 has been in operation, 10 derailments and 10 collisions have occurred in the Belfast yard and were reported to the TSB," said Amilcar. "Most of these incidents in the yard were minor and involved both Light Rail Vehicles (LRV) and rail maintenance equipment."

Amilcar tells council after discussions with the TSB, it was determined that three additional occurrences should have been reported.

The incidents were:

• Dec. 10, 2020 - A LRV struck a sign base in the yard that was placed too close to the track. Minor damage was reported to the body of the train.
• Dec. 23, 2020 - A piece of maintenance equipment spreading salt in the yard hit a parked LRV. Minor damage was found.
• Feb. 25, 2021 - Maintenance equipment operating on the tracks came off the rails. There was no damage to the tracks or equipment.

"Derailments or collisions of rail vehicles or maintenance equipment occur frequently in a rail yard where there are many switches, tracks, turns and train movements," said Amilcar.

The Transportation Safety Board defines a derailment as, "anytime one or more wheels of rolling rock comes off the running surface" of the rail.

"OC Transpo has enhanced its notification practices and will notify the TSB of every incident and confirm if reporting is required," said Amilcar.

Derailment on Jan. 27

OC Transpo is reporting what it calls a "minor event" in the Belfast yard on Jan. 27.

Amilcar says a piece of rail maintenance equipment was involved in the incident.

"At approximately 9:15 pm, the rail car mover was traveling through the yard and preparing to leave the tracks when a wheel left the rails while traveling over an area of built-up snow," said Amilcar.

"There was no damage to the equipment or tracks. This incident has been reported to the TSB as per standard practice and had no impact to service on O-Train Line 1. No further follow-up is expected."