Transport Canada has given the thumbs up on recommendations made by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada stemming from a train derailment in Gogama in March 2015.

That recommendation is to acquire rail surface condition data and incorporate it into its planning cycle for regular track inspections.

“Transport Canada confirmed it has requested data on rail surface condition from the Canadian National Railway and from the Canadian Pacific Railway,” they state in a release, “Both have agreed to provide the information to the department on an on-going basis.”

“The information will be used to supplement the data that informs the department’s regulatory track inspections starting in 2018-19.”

An investigation into the derailment on March 7, 2015 concluded a broken portion of the track was the main cause.

“I am deeply concerned every time there’s a derailment in Canada, whether it’s on a private, provincial or federal route. Rail safety is my top priority as Minister of Transport. My department is continuously looking for ways to make our railway system safer for Canadians,” says Transportation Minister Marc Garneau.

“I thank the Transportation Safety Board of Canada for its thorough work in investigating the main track derailment near Gogama, Ontario.”

“I commend the residents of Gogama who, during a difficult time, supported the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) investigation into the March 2015 train derailment that impacted their community,” added Nickel Belt MP Marc Serré.

“I am pleased that Minister Garneau and the Department of Transport are supporting the TSB recommendation to acquire rail surface condition data from CN and CP on an ongoing basis to inform the department’s risk based track inspections in 2018-2019, and I am confident that the adoption of the TSB recommendation will improve prevention of similar incidents from occurring in the future.”

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