A CTrain derailed at the Tuscany LRT Station in the city’s northwest on Tuesday morning after it overshot the end of the line and crashed into a barrier.
The incident happened just before 7:00 a.m. and officials say the train went past the station and crashed into a barricade.
“There was a train headed westbound and just arrived at the Tuscany LRT station and performed its normal duties of offloading passengers,” said Russell Davies, Calgary Transit’s acting director. “For reasons we don’t quite know yet, that train carried on proceeding in a west direction, accelerated to full speed and basically derailed the train.”
The train struck a pole at the end of the line and parts of the pole crashed through the train’s windshield. Davies estimates the train was travelling in excess of 60 kilometres per hour.
Police shut down Crowchild Trail in both directions between 12 Mile Coulee Road and Stoney Trail, which impacted traffic in the area during the morning commute.
Three passengers were on board the train at the time and EMS officials say the driver was taken to hospital in serious condition but that her injuries are non-life threatening. The nature of the operator's injuries has not been released.
“The driver has been taken to Foothills Hospital, it’s a woman in her early 60s, in serious but fortunately stable condition. Two other occupants aboard the train, fortunately did not sustain any injury,” said Stuart Brideaux, Calgary EMS. “We did have to go car-to-car to make sure there was nobody else in the train. As well, although we did have good access and egress to the front of the cab where the driver was, she did require extrication from the cab as well, there was very substantial damage.”
“The operator, unfortunately, sustained significant injuries and was taken to Foothills Hospital where she is still receiving treatment,” said Russell Davies. “Three passengers were hurt but they were all assessed by EMS and they were all released shortly after.”
Davies confirms the driver was a senior operator with significant experience. “The driver is currently under medication. We haven’t had a chance to speak with her.”
Police say it will take some time to clean up the scene and Calgary Transit says power to the line will need to be shut down to make repairs.
“They’re going to have to disentangle these cars and then they’re going to have to load them onto some sort of flat deck, I imagine there will be cranes involved, so I think it might be an all-day project,” said Cherweniuk.
Calgary Transit will provide shuttle buses to move passengers between the Crowchild and Tuscany stations and officials say delays to service can be expected.
Officials are reviewing surveillance recordings from inside the vehicle and along the LRT platform.
“The operator should have got out, should have gone to the other end of the train then carried on back into downtown,” said Davies. ”We’ve got to speak to the operator really and try to find out her thought process.”
The first and second train cars were significantly damaged while the third car is believed to be in working order. Davies says the train cars are worth approximately $3.5 million each and Calgary Transit is self-insured with the city.
