Report says visual inspections may have contributed to GO train derailment at Union Station
Metrolinx derailment report links visual track checks to Toronto GO incident See what investigators found and how inspection changes could affect riders
A new Metrolinx report says overreliance on visual track inspections may have played a role in the GO Transit derailment near Toronto’s Union Station earlier this year.
The incident happened on Feb. 2 and disrupted commuter service for days. Investigators found that missing and loose screws on a section of track just west of the station allowed the rail to shift out of place.
The report says routine visual checks and annual geometry testing were not enough to catch the worsening track condition before it became a derailment risk. Metrolinx says it has updated its inspection protocols and is checking whether similar problems exist elsewhere on the rail network.