Canadian Pacific Railway says it has tightened its safety rules following a review prompted by the deadly train derailment in Lac-Megantic, Que.
"The recent situation gave us a chance to thoroughly review our safety procedures, as we do on an ongoing basis," CP spokesperson Ed Greenberg said.
"The result is that we have now strengthened our operating procedures in some key areas that were identified from what recently occurred."
A CP memo about the safety review included a reference to 鈥減ending鈥� rule changes by Transport Canada, but Greenberg said the company has not been made aware of any revisions or announcements by the federal agency.
After an unmanned train carrying crude oil barrelled into Lac-Megantic and exploded, killing at least 42 people, many have questioned why the train was left unattended overnight and whether all the brakes were properly set.
Among CP鈥檚 revised safety rules:
- If trains must be left unattended, the locomotive will be locked
- All trains carrying dangerous material will not be left unattended on main line tracks
- Brake-setting procedures will be strengthened
Peter Miasek, president of Transport Action Ontario, said CP is taking 鈥済ood baby steps,鈥� but more needs to be done to improve railroad safety in Canada.
Miasek told 麻豆影视 Channel Thursday that a lot of the revised safety procedures are simply 鈥渃ommon sense鈥� and that railway companies must do more to address staffing levels on trains and the need for a computerized safety system, among other issues.
鈥淲e were shocked at some of the practices out there,鈥� he said.
Canadian National Railway, the country鈥檚 largest railroad, is also reviewing its safety procedures in light of what happened in Lac-Megantic.
Spokesperson Mark Hallman said CN already has 鈥渞obust鈥� policies in place, such as making sure that air brakes are applied on both locomotives and throughout the train. Hand brakes are also always set on the lead locomotive, he said.
Raynald Marchand of the Canada Safety Council said it would take a lone conductor about three minutes per train car to set all the hand brakes. On a 72-car train such as the one that derailed in Lac-Megantic, applying hand brakes on every single car would take more than three hours.
CN and CP鈥檚 trains both use two-person crews, but the Lac-Megantic train, owned by Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway Ltd., had only one engineer.
A spokesperson for Transport Canada told The Canadian Press that it鈥檚 still investigating whether rules and regulations were followed leading up to the derailment.
"Railway safety regulations exist to ensure the safety and protection of the public. If these regulations were not followed, we will not hesitate to take whatever course of action is available to us,鈥� Kelly James said.
Obama sends condolences to Lac-Megantic
As search crews pulled four more bodies from the disaster zone in Lac-Megantic, the town received a message of support from the White House.
鈥淲e are saddened by the devastating loss of life caused by the train derailment and resulting fire,鈥� U.S. President Barack Obama wrote in a letter of condolence.
鈥淥ur prayers are with the families and loved ones of the victims.鈥�
Eight more people are still missing and presumed dead.
Lawsuit adds more defendants
Meanwhile, a motion to file a class-action lawsuit over the Lac-Megantic derailment has been amended to include more defendants, including Irving Oil, the New Brunswick refinery where the oil was being shipped.
World Fuel Services and its subsidiary, Dakota Plains Holdings, were also added to the list.
The plaintiffs鈥� lawyers allege the newly added defendants failed to ensure the oil in the tankers was properly contained and safely transported.
None of the allegations has been tested in court.
The class-action motion filed Monday in Quebec Superior Court already named the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway, its chairman Edward Burkhardt, president Robert Grindrod and train operator Tom Harding.
With files from The Canadian Press
