TSB issues rail-safety advisories in report on 2017 Woss derailment that claimed three lives

TSB issues rail-safety advisories in report on 2017 Woss derailment that claimed three lives
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A Transportation Safety Board released a report in its investigation of a deadly train derailment in the north Island community of Woss in April of 2017. Three engineering employees were killed in the incident and two others suffered serious injuries. File photo.

A Transportation Safety Board released a report in its investigation of a deadly train derailment in the north Island community of Woss in April of 2017. Three engineering employees were killed in the incident and two others suffered serious injuries. File photo.

The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) says it has issued rail safety advisory letters following its investigation of a crash last year in Woss that claimed three lives and injured two others.

In April of 2017, 11 rail cars loaded with logs crashed into two work equipment vehicles with the five men aboard.

The TSB said a rail-safety advisory was issued to railways, regulators and associations over the use of visual verification to ensure locking devices are secure between cars.

The provincial transportation ministry is also being sent an advisory letter to say it may want to review installation, maintenance and inspection of derail devices on Western Forest Products properties.

A WorkBC report in October found a number of preventable errors contributed to the fatal logging train derailment, which said decaying railway ties and the failure of a safety mechanism allowed rail cars at the company’s reload centre to run uncontrolled.

READ MORE:  WorkSafeBC investigation finds broken equipment and poor maintenance in Woss derailment

The TSB echoed the report in its investigation, adding the 11 cars loaded with logs rolled away after a locking device between the cars inadvertently released.

The report also said a safety device meant to derail the runaway cars failed to work because of the deteriorating rail ties and the device hadn’t been adequately secured.

The railway operated by the company is regulated by the province, but the transportation ministry requested the TSB conduct an investigation.

In November 2017, Western Forest Products announced the Englewood Train, believed to be the last operating logging railroad in North America, would shut down.

The train began hauling logs out of the area in 1917.

A Western Forests Products statement said the crash will forever impact the families of those lost and injured, their co-workers and the company.

With files from the Canadian Press.

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