He was not surprised to learn that the rail ties were in poor shape and that rail fasteners were missing. Budget cuts, a lack of inspections, and inadequate maintenance are leading to more and more safety problems, he explains.

Ardea says these cost-cutting measures are a major issue at Canada’s railway monopolies, CN and CPKC. He points to the shrinking number of rail traffic controllers: “They’re understaffed, so they have to cover larger and larger regions and handle more and more trains at the same time. That increases the risk of error.”