Transport Canada has approved new rules regarding securement measures in an effort to prevent runaway trains. The new rules, which are in response to recommendations that were made by the Transportation Safety Board, will include a handbrake application chart for different operating situations and states that once hand brakes have been applied it must be confirmed by another employee that has an appropriate level of knowledge. These securement changes, which will be in full effect on October 14, 2015, are in direct response to the 2013 Lac-Mégantic disaster that killed 47 people.
Transport Canada released a statement regarding the new rules for train securement that included the following points; “Today we have reached another important milestone in response to recommendations from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada stemming from its investigation into the Lac-Mégantic derailment……Transport Canada has approved revisions to Rule 112 of the Canadian Railway Operating Rules, establishing multiple layers of defense to secure trains and further reduce the risk of runaways…..The updated Rule 112 formalizes the provisions set out in the emergency directive and makes them permanent as well as more detailed….”
Transport Canada approves rules to secure trains in response to Lac-Mégantic
Revised Rule 112 in the Canadian Rail Operating Rules
