VIA Rail Impacted Between Toronto and Winnipeg

TORONTO – UPDATED – Rail traffic between Toronto and Winnipeg is being impacted by a train derailment 180 km north of Sudbury.

VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail) wishes to inform its passengers that, due to a CN Rail freight train derailment blocking the main line some 180 km northwest of Sudbury, trains #1 and #2 (the eastbound and westbound Canadian) operating between Toronto and Winnipeg will not operate until confirmation has been received from CN that the rail line is again passable. Service between Winnipeg and Vancouver is not affected.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is deploying a team of investigators to a derailment and fire involving a crude oil train operated by CN approximately 80 km south of Timmins, Ontario. The TSB will gather information and assess the occurrence.

CN Rail states, “The Train was visually inspected four times and passed over a wayside safety detector approximately 20 mi before derailment with no issues identified”.

CN has dispatched crews to the scene to fight the fire caused during the derailment, and says that most of the cars have been removed from the scene.

VIA Rail will provide alternate transportation to customers already en route or scheduled to board the train today, for those passengers travelling between Toronto and Winnipeg, in both directions.

VIA Rail is communicating with customers who have reservations on the affected trains to or from other locations between Winnipeg and Toronto, many of which are inaccessible. VIA Rail regrets the inconvenience that this situation may cause. Customers wishing to cancel or change their date of travel may do so at no additional charge by calling 1 888 VIA-RAIL (1 888 842-7245) or 1 800 268-9503 (hearing impaired).

An update will be issued once it is known when regular service will resume.