Transportation Safety Board calls for better wheel checks after train derailment

The Transportation Safety Board says more needs to be done to ensure train car wheels are up to snuff after a broken rim led to a derailment east of Edmonton.

A CN Rail train bound for Prince Rupert, B.C., was hauling grain in April 2023 near Uncas, Alta., when 18 cars went off the tracks, though no injuries were reported.

A report Thursday says a wheel on one car had a shattered rim that worsened as it moved along the track, and was to be removed when the train arrived in Edmonton for a crew change.

It says the wheel failed despite meeting inspection requirements, and investigators ruled that current practices may not reliably identify wheels nearing “catastrophic rim failure.”

The Transportation Safety Board says Transport Canada should use enhanced analytics of wheel impact load detector data to better identify and remove failing wheels.

Transport Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“The TSB has been investigating broken wheels and wheel failures for decades. This report confirms other research that has come before it,” TSB chair Yoan Marier said in a statement Thursday.

“Advanced analysis of data that is already collected can help identify wheel condition issues early. By better leveraging this data, Transport Canada and the rail industry have an opportunity to help prevent future derailments.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 25, 2026.

By Aaron Sousa | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.