Rail transportation occurrences in 2023

Executive summary

The TSB received 1235 reports of rail transportation occurrences in 2023 (914 accidents and 321 incidents), including 67 fatalities.

The 914 accidents represent a 9% decrease from 2022 and a 12% decrease from the 10-year average of 1039.

The 67 rail transportation-related fatalities reported in 2023 are up compared to 65 in 2022 but below the 10‑year average of 68. Among the fatalities, 53 involved trespassers, compared to 51 in 2022 and the 10‑year average of 41.

The number of crossing accident fatalities decreased in 2023 (13) compared to 2022 (14) and is lower than the 10-year average of 20.

Among all rail transportation accidents, 87 involved dangerous goods. This is down from 110 accidents in 2022 and is lower than the 10-year average of 120. Six accidents in 2023 resulted in dangerous goods being released.

There were 321 rail transportation incidents reported to the TSB in 2023, a 14% decrease from 2022 (374). Incidents involving movements that exceeded limits of authority accounted for 50% (161) of all rail transportation incidents in 2023 – 27 more than in 2022 and above the 10-year average of 129.

According to Transport Canada data, 2023 main-track (non-yard) rail activity increased by 4% from 2022. The main-track accident rate in 2023 was 2.5 accidents per million main-track train-miles, down from 3.0 in 2022 and below the 10-year average of 2.6.

Rail transportation occurrences in 2023

The TSB gathers and uses transportation occurrence data during the course of its investigations to analyze safety deficiencies and identify risks in the Canadian rail transportation system.

This statistical summary covers federally regulated railways only. Non-federally regulated data reported to the TSB are not included in this report.

This summary serves to describe the accident, incident, and injury counts^{Footnote 1} that are presented in the included tables. It provides limited discussion and some context but is not intended to be an in-depth analysis of the data.

It should be noted that certain characteristics of the data constrain statistical analysis and identification of emerging trends. These include the small totals of accidents and incidents, the large variability in the data from year to year, and changes to regulations and definitions. The reader is cautioned to keep these limitations in mind when viewing this summary to avoid drawing conclusions that cannot be supported by statistical analysis.

The 2023 data were collected according to the reporting requirements described in the Transportation Safety Board Regulations in force during that calendar year.

The statistics presented here reflect the TSB Railway Occurrence Database System (RODS) data as of 15 February 2024. Since the occurrence data are constantly being updated in the live database, the statistics may change slightly over time.

Also, as many occurrences are limited to data gathering, information recorded on some occurrences may not have been verified.

Accidents

Overview of accidents and casualties

In 2023, 914 rail accidents^{Footnote 2} were reported to the TSB (Figure 1 and Table 1), down from the 2022 total of 1008, and 12% below the previous 10-year (2013 to 2022) average of 1039.

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Freight trains accounted for 35% of all rolling stock involved in rail accidents in 2023. Four percent (36 in total) were passenger trains, with the remaining 61% comprising mainly single cars/cuts of cars, locomotives, and track units (Table 3).

The largest proportion of reported rail accidents comprised non-main-track derailments^{Footnote 3} (44%) (Figure 2 and Table 1). Typically, most non-main-track derailment accidents are minor, occurring during switching operations at speeds of less than 10 mph.

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* Due to rounding of percentages within categories, additions across accident types should be calculated from Table 1 data rather than by adding percentages shown in Figure 2.

The proportion of accidents that were main-track derailments in 2023 (6%) was approximately the same as both the previous year and the 10-year average.

In 2023, 16% of rail accidents involved vehicles or pedestrians at rail crossings, comparable to the 15% average of the previous 10 years.

In 2023, 87 accidents involved dangerous goods (Table 1),^{Footnote 4} down from 110 in 2022 and below the 10-year average of 120. Six accidents resulted in a dangerous goods release in 2023, up from 2 in the previous year, and above the 10-year average of 4.

Rail fatalities (Figure 3 and Table 1) totalled 67 in 2023, up from 65 last year but below the 10-year average of 68. Crossing fatalities totalled 13 in 2023, down from 14 in 2022 and below the 10-year average of 20. Trespasser^{Footnote 5} fatalities totalled 53 in 2023, up from 51 in the previous year and above the 10‑year average of 41. In 2023, 1 railway employee was fatally injured, below the 10-year average of 2 employee fatalities per year (Table 2).

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A total of 45 serious injuries^{Footnote 6} resulted from rail occurrences in 2023 (Figure 4 and Table 1), down from 58 in 2022 and below the 10-year average of 57. Crossing accidents^{Footnote 7} resulted in 19 serious injuries, down from 28 in 2022 and below the 10-year average of 26. Serious injuries to trespassers totalled 20 in 2023, up from 16 last year and above the 10-year average of 19. Three railway employees were seriously injured in 2023, down from 10 in 2022 and below the 10-year average of 11 (Table 2).

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The number of main-track accidents^{Footnote 8} totalled 199 in 2023 (Figure 5 and Table 1), down from 224 in 2022 but the same as the 10-year average of 199. Rail activity^{Footnote 9} on main track (i.e., non-yard activity) increased by 4% from the previous year. The main-track accident rate in 2023 was 2.5 accidents per million main-track train miles, down from 3.0 in 2022 and below the 10-year average of 2.6.

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Accidents by type

Main-track collisions and derailments are the most serious categories of rail accidents in terms of potential risk to the public and the environment (e.g., when passenger trains are involved or dangerous goods are released from trains that derail in populated areas).

There were 9 main-track collisions (Table 1 and Figure 6) in 2023, up from the 2022 total of 8 and also above the 10-year average of 5. No fatalities or serious injuries resulted from main-track collisions in 2023. There was no release of dangerous goods as a result of main-track collisions in 2023.

A total of 55 main-track derailments (Table 4) were reported in 2023, a decrease from the 2022 total of 68, and 30% below the 10-year average of 79 (Figure 6). Thirty-one percent of the 55 main-track derailments occurred in British Columbia, 16% occurred in each of Ontario and Saskatchewan, and 15% occurred in Alberta.

The number of main-track derailments per million main-track (i.e., non-yard) train miles (Table 4) decreased to 0.70 in 2023 from 0.90 the previous year and was below the 10-year average of 1.02.

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No fatalities or serious injuries resulted from main-track derailments in 2023 (Table 2). Ten main-track derailments involved dangerous goods, down from the 2022 total of 11 and below the 10-year average of 14 (Table 1). Two of these derailments resulted in the release of dangerous goods (gasoline, asphalt) (data not presented).

In 2023, 24% of assigned factors^{Footnote 10} for main-track derailments (Table 5) were equipment-related, down from the 10-year average of 28%. Actions-related factors^{Footnote 11} accounted for 24% of assigned factors in 2023, unchanged from the 10-year average. Track-related factors were reported in 43% of main-track derailments in 2023, above the 10-year average of 36%.

Non-main-track collisions (Table 6 and Figure 7) totalled 63 in 2023, down from the 2022 total of 66, and below the 10-year average of 87. Derailments occurred in 29 non-main-track collisions (46%), and 15 of those collisions involved the derailment of a single car.

Non-main-track collisions resulted in no fatalities and 1 serious injury in 2023 (Table 2). Dangerous goods were involved in 33% of non-main-track collisions, 1 of which resulted in a release of product (ammonium nitrate) (data not presented).

Factors assigned to non-main-track collisions were mostly actions-related (85%), comparable to the 10-year average of 86% (Table 7). Failure to protect, such as improper positioning of movements and handling of switches, was assigned most often (59%) as a factor.

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There were 404 non-main-track derailments^{Footnote 12} in 2023 (Table 8 and Figure 7), down from 450 last year and 20% below the 10-year average of 508. In 79% of these accidents in 2023, 1 or 2 cars derailed. No fatalities or serious injuries resulted from non-main-track derailments in 2023 (Table 2).

Dangerous goods cars were involved in 12% of non-main-track derailments, with 1 resulting in a release of product (diesel fuel) (data not presented).

In 2023, actions-related factors represented 54% of all assigned factors for non-main-track derailments, above the 10-year average of 48% (Table 9). Track-related factors represented 25% of all assigned factors, below the 10-year average of 31%. Environmental-related factors represented 11% of all assigned factors in 2023, below the 10-year average of 12%.

Crossing accidents (Tables 10 and 11) represented one of the more serious types of rail accidents in 2023, with 19% of these resulting in serious or fatal injuries (data not presented).

There were 149 crossing accidents in 2023, a 7% decrease from the 2022 total of 161 and below the 10-year average of 158. The number of accidents at public automated crossings (76) was down from the 2022 total of 78, and below the 10-year average of 77. The number of accidents at public passive crossings (38) was down 31% from the 2022 total of 55 and below the 10-year average of 53. Accidents at private and farm crossings (35) increased from the 2022 total of 28 and were above to the 10-year average of 28 (Table 10).

In 2023, 51% of crossing accidents occurred at public automated crossings, and 26% at public passive crossings (Table 10 and Figure 8). Although there are nearly one and a half times as many public passive crossings as public automated crossings, the higher number of accidents occurring at automated crossings is due, in part, to higher vehicle and train traffic volumes at the automated crossings.

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There were 13 fatal crossing accidents in 2023, down from 14 reported in 2022 and below the 10-year average of 18. Crossing-related fatalities totalled 13 in 2023, down from 14 reported in 2022 and below the 10-year average of 20 (Table 10).

Crossing accidents involving pedestrians accounted for 9% (13) of all crossing accidents in 2023, but accounted for 38% (5) of fatal crossing accidents and 38% of crossing-related fatalities (data not presented).

Crossing-related serious injuries totalled 19 in 2023, down from the 2022 total of 28 and below the 10‑year average of 26 (Table 11).

In 2023, 6 crossing accidents resulted in a train derailment, up from 4 in 2022 and above the 10-year average (5) (Table 11).

Two crossing accidents resulted in the release of dangerous goods (diesel fuel) in 2023 (data not presented).

Ontario and Alberta had the highest proportions (19% each) of all crossing accidents in 2023. British Columbia had the third highest total with 18% of crossing accidents, followed by Manitoba and Quebec with 14%, and Saskatchewan with 13% (Table 11 and Figure 9).

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Trespasser accidents (Table 12 and Figure 10) totalled 80 in 2023, up from 72 in 2022 and above the 10‑year average of 62. Ontario accounted for 44% of trespasser accidents, followed by British Columbia with 21%, Quebec and Alberta with 11% each, and Manitoba with 8%.

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In 2023, the proportion of trespasser accidents that were fatal (66%) was similar to the 10-year average of 65%. The proportion of trespasser accidents resulting in serious injuries (25%) was below the 10-year average of 30%.

Incidents

Overview of incidents

In 2023, there were 321 reported rail incidents^{Footnote 13} (Figure 11 and Table 1), down from 374 in 2022.

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*  The amended TSB Regulations came into effect on 01 July 2014.

The movement exceeds limits of authority^{Footnote 14} incident type accounted for 50% of reportable incidents in 2023 (Table 13), followed by non-main-track train derailments involving 1 or 2 cars (with no damage) at 21%, and fires on railway right-of-way (17%).

In 2023, there were 9 uncontrolled movement of rolling stock incidents, as well as 1 derailment incident that involved an uncontrolled movement of rolling stock. In addition, 27 accidents involved an uncontrolled movement of rolling stock (Table 1), for a total of 37 occurrences (3 of which involved vandalism). This is down from the total of these occurrences in 2022 (51, two of which involved vandalism).

There were 161 movement exceeds limits of authority incidents in 2023, an increase from 134 reported in 2022 and 25% above the 10-year average of 129 (Table 1).

Data tables

Definitions

The following definitions are based on the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act and the associated regulations, as well as the TSB Policy on Occurrence Classification, and apply to the rail transportation occurrences reported pursuant to them.

Occurrence

• Any accident or incident associated with the operation of rolling stock on a railway
• Any situation or condition that the Board has reasonable grounds to believe could, if left unattended, induce an accident or incident described below

Reportable accident

• A person is killed or sustains a serious injury as a result of
  • getting on or off or being on board the rolling stock, or
  • coming into direct contact with any part of the rolling stock or its contents
• The rolling stock or its contents
  • are involved in a collision and/or a derailment resulting in damages to rolling stock and/or track infrastructure,
  • sustain damage that affects the safe operation of the rolling stock,
  • sustain a fire or explosion, or
  • cause damage to the railway that poses a threat to the safe passage of rolling stock or to the safety of any person, property or the environment
• There is an accidental release on board or from rolling stock that results in any of the events listed in subsection 8.4(2) of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations.

Reportable incident

• A risk of collision occurs between rolling stock
• An unprotected main-track switch or subdivision track switch is left in an abnormal position
• A railway signal displays a less restrictive indication than that required for the intended movement of rolling stock
• Rolling stock occupies a main track or subdivision track, or track work takes place, in contravention of the rules or any regulations made under the Railway Safety Act
• Rolling stock passes a signal indicating stop in contravention of the rules or any regulations made under the Railway Safety Act
• There is an unplanned and uncontrolled movement of rolling stock
• A crew member whose duties are directly related to the safe operation of the rolling stock is unable to perform their duties as a result of a physical incapacitation which poses a threat to the safety of persons, property or the environment,
• The rolling stock is involved in a minor collision and/or minor derailment (1 or 2 cars) resulting in no damages; or
• Rolling stock or its contents cause a fire along, or adjacent to, a railway right-of-way.

Serious injury

• A fracture of any bone, except simple fractures of fingers, toes or the nose
• Lacerations that cause severe hemorrhage or nerve, muscle or tendon damage
• An injury to an internal organ
• Second or third degree burns, or any burns affecting more than 5% of the body surface
• A verified exposure to infectious substances or injurious radiation, or
• An injury that is likely to require hospitalization

Dangerous goods involvement

“Dangerous goods” has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act. An accident is considered to have dangerous goods involvement if any car in the consist carrying (or having last contained) a dangerous good derails, strikes or is struck by any other rolling stock or object. It does not mean that there was any release of any product. Also included are crossing accidents in which the motor vehicle involved (e.g., tanker truck) is carrying a dangerous good.

Derailment

Any instance where one or more wheels of rolling stock have come off the normal running surface of the rail.