CM&Q took over the rail line through Lac-Mégantic after previous owner Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway went bankrupt as a result of a devastating 2013 oil train accident. The derailment and subsequent explosion leveled 30 buildings and killed 47 people in the small lakeside community not far from the Maine border.
According to a press release from Transport Canada, an inspection in May found a number of deficiencies on the 125-mile route between Farnham and Lac-Mégantic, including defective rails and ties and muddy ballast. The railroad had also issued a number of slow orders on the route. The government ordered CM&Q to fix the issues immediately and since then the railroad has reported that it corrected more than 250 deficiencies.
On Sept. 6, Minister of Transport Marc Garneau issued a follow up order, forcing the CM&Q to conduct more track inspections along the route and maintain certain slow orders on the route until Transport Canada can do an independent inspection.
“Transport Canada officials will analyze the results of the inspections carried out by CMQR. In the coming days, they will also carry out on-site inspections to ensure that the corrective actions comply with railway safety standards and regulations, and inspect the 125-mile section of rail lines between Farnham and Lac-Mégantic,” Garneau says.
The press release issued by the government leaves little doubt as to why CM&Q’s maintenance program is being scrutinized.
“The tragedy of July 6, 2013 in Lac-Mégantic will forever remain in our collective memory. I would like to say once again that rail safety remains my top priority, and that I will continue to do everything within my authority to improve it,” Garneau says.
