Rail transportation safety investigation R20H0130
The TSB has completed this investigation. The report was published on 13 December 2022.
Table of contents
Collision between train and track unit
Canadian National Railway Company
Freight train G87441-25 and
Track unit
Mile 3.2, Caramat Subdivision
Jackfish, Ontario
The occurrence
On , at approximately 1125 Eastern Standard Time, Canadian National Railway Company freight train G87441-25 was proceeding eastward at about 32 mph on the Caramat Subdivision when it collided with a stationary hi-rail vehicle at the Jackfish turnout switch at Mile 3.2. The signal maintainer, who was performing testing on the switch, was not in the vehicle. The train did not derail and no one was injured. The hi-rail vehicle was destroyed, while the lead locomotive sustained minor damage.
Media materials
News releases
TSB releases investigation report into 2020 collision between train and track maintenance vehicle near Hornepayne, Ontario
Read the news release
Investigation information
Map showing the location of the occurrence
Investigator-in-charge
Mr. Kim Wachs joined the TSB Rail/Pipeline Investigations Branch in 2021 as a Regional Senior Investigator.
Mr. Wachs retired from Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) after over 35 years of service. In the years preceding his retirement, he was the Manager of Operating Practices with CP’s Safety & Regulatory Affairs department in Calgary, Alberta. During this time, he developed and maintained CP General Operating Instructions for Canada with the most recent version still being in use. He also developed and issued Operating and Summary Bulletins, assisted the Railway Association of Canada with revisions to the Canadian Rail Operating Rules (CROR), developed train handling guides for all CP mountain grade territories as well as various job aids/manuals for handling railway equipment.
While at CP, he also assisted in the development of new train designs and CP’s train area marshalling system (TrAM). He conducted train dynamics simulations and field testing related to the expanded use of locomotive distributed power and other rail industry technology upgrades such as locomotive trip optimizers, electronic controlled pneumatic brakes, and on-board locomotive camera systems.
Earlier in his career, he worked from Ontario to British Columbia in various operating roles where he was responsible for railway operations. This included responding to derailments, conducting wrecking activities and derailment investigations associated with all rail accidents and incidents on the territory. He also has extensive experience in performing and analyzing locomotive event recorder downloads for both regulatory compliance and derailment investigation.
Mr. Wachs is based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Class of investigation
This is a class 3 investigation. These investigations analyze a small number of safety issues, and may result in recommendations. Class 3 investigations are generally completed within 450 days. For more information, see the Policy on Occurrence Classification.
TSB investigation process
There are 3 phases to a TSB investigation
- Field phase: a team of investigators examines the occurrence site and wreckage, interviews witnesses and collects pertinent information.
- Examination and analysis phase: the TSB reviews pertinent records, tests components of the wreckage in the lab, determines the sequence of events and identifies safety deficiencies. When safety deficiencies are suspected or confirmed, the TSB advises the appropriate authority without waiting until publication of the final report.
- Report phase: a confidential draft report is approved by the Board and sent to persons and corporations who are directly concerned by the report. They then have the opportunity to dispute or correct information they believe to be incorrect. The Board considers all representations before approving the final report, which is subsequently released to the public.
For more information, see our Investigation process page.
The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline, and rail transportation occurrences. Its sole aim is the advancement of transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability.