TSB report finds unstable track caused Irvine train derailment

Aug 22, 2020 | 4:33 PM

IRVINE, AB – The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) has released its report on a train derailment in southern Alberta last summer.

A derailment and chemical spill in the hamlet of Irvine occurred on August 2, 2019. The incident resulted in an evacuation and temporary closure of a stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway.

22 cars, including five dangerous goods tanks, derailed at mile 126.5 of the Maple Creek Subdivision in Irvine, according to the TSB.

Fortunately, no one was injured and the spill was cleaned up within a day.

The TSB’s report found that the track subgrade was unstable and susceptible to “the effects of increased longitudinal forces produced by the high ambient temperatures”, although repair work and inspections had been done month before the derailment.

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

According to the report, the weather at the time of the incident was clear and hot, with a temperature of 34.5 degrees Celsius.

The TSB noted that continuous welded rail could experience “large compressive and tensile longitudinal forces” from temperature variations or track maintenance.

“Compressive forces can induce track buckling while tensile forces can result in rail defect growth and rail pull-apart failures at joints,” it said in the report.

In conclusion, the derailment was caused by an unstable track.

The full Transportation Safety Board report can be viewed here.

by Justin Goulet

TSB report finds unstable track caused Irvine train derailment

What's Happening