The programme includes:

  • 30 new Wayside Equipment System units to detect hot bearings, hot wheels and dragging equipment
  • a new track geometry test car
  • an optical track inspection system
  • more than 30 new brittle bar detectors, which identify and flag derailed vehicles to traincrews, and
  • controlled signalling on certain key passing loops on busy lines to alert traincrews and dispatchers to broken rail incidents.

CN says it has increased its wayside detection capability by 30% over the last five years, and the frequency of ultrasonic rail flaw inspections has been stepped up by 70% since 2008.