The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has released its investigation report into a 2024 occurrence involving a VIA Rail Canada Inc. passenger train that passed a stop signal during a movement to a maintenance facility in Montréal, Quebec. The incident occurred on September 29, 2024, after passengers and on-board personnel disembarked at Montréal Central Station.
A VIA Rail Canada train crew received permission to take the train to a nearby maintenance facility, where they must back up to Victoria Bridge and take the crossover leading to the maintenance facility. The train initially stopped before a red Stop signal, but the crew member in the tail-end car perceived that the top light of the signal changed to yellow, which was interpreted as permissive. However, this interpretation was likely due to the reflection of sunlight on the lens surface, and the train continued past the signal.
As the train backed up, it passed the signal, which was still displaying a red Stop indication, before coming to a stop after running through a switch. A freight train travelling westward on the same track came to a stop 1700 feet behind VIA train, with no collision or derailment and no injuries. This occurrence highlights the risks posed by relying solely on administrative defences to prevent signal indications not being followed.
The TSB has recently issued new recommendations calling for enhanced train control systems and interim measures aimed at reducing the risks of accidents due to not following signal indications. The incident is another example of a TSB Watchlist issue, which requires attention to prevent similar incidents in the future. The investigation report provides more information on this incident, including the circumstances surrounding it and the lessons learned from it.