Canada’s Transportation Safety Board says improved analysis of existing wheel-monitoring data is needed after a broken rim led to a CN derailment in Alberta.
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A derailment involving a CN Rail freight train bound for Prince Rupert, B.C., has prompted the Transportation Safety Board of Canada to call for more reliable ways to detect and remove wheels showing signs of imminent failure.
In April 2023, the train carrying grain derailed near Uncas, Alta., about 18 cars went off the tracks, according to the TSB report released Thursday. No injuries were reported.
The board said one wheel had a shattered rim that became worse as the train continued along the track. Investigators determined the wheel had met existing inspection requirements, raising concerns that current practices may not consistently identify wheels approaching what the report describes as “catastrophic rim failure.”
The TSB said it expects Transport Canada to address the gap by using enhanced analytics on data from wheel impact load detectors, which are intended to help monitor wheel and track conditions. The goal, the board said, is to identify wheel-condition problems earlier and remove failing wheels before they can contribute to a derailment.
In a written statement, TSB chair Yoan Marier said the findings align with earlier research and that using advanced analysis of data already collected could help surface wheel issues earlier. He said better leveraging the information would give Transport Canada and the rail industry an opportunity to reduce the risk of future derailments.
Transport Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The report was first published Sept. 25, 2026, by The Canadian Press.
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