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Bus-train crash sparked level crossing questions in south Ottawa

The fatal bus-train crash that killed six people at a level railway crossing on Ottawa's Transitway was the first of many stories connected to the crossings in Ottawa. Here we look back at what happened over the past year.

Crash on Sept. 18, 2013 put level crossing safety in the spotlight, led to changes

CBC News ·
The damaged engine car of Via Rail's Train 51 sits on the tracks approximately 100 metres from the rail crossing where the bus and train collided on Sept. 18, 2013. (TSB Canada/Flickr)

There have been several issues with level railway crossings since the fatal bus-train crash in September 2013, which happened at a crossing along the OC Transpo Transitway in south Ottawa.

  • WATCH | On CBC TV at 5, Steve Fischer details changes to rail crossings since the fatal crash.

That crossing and six others nearby have faced issues including signal and gate malfunctions.

Here is a timeline of stories since the bus-train crash on Sept. 18, 2013.

  • Crews work to repair the lights of a crossing signal on Fallowfield Road in Ottawa Friday, April 4, 2014. (Simon Gardner/CBC)
    Sept. 19, 2013 | Crash raises ​concerns about level crossings across Canada.
  • Sept. 20, 2013 | TSB announces the crossing gate was down 25 seconds before the fatal crash.
  • Sept. 28, 2013 | Investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and Ottawa police simulated the crash at the level crossing.
  • Oct. 16, 2013 | City of Ottawa announces safety changes made since bus-train crash
  • Jan. 28, 2014 | Driver reports an​ OC Transpo bus sped through a crossing while signals flashed, but before gate came down.
  • Feb. 14, 2014 | The first signal malfunction occurs at the Transitway crossing where the bus-train crash happened.
  • Feb. 25, 2014 | TSB asks City of Ottawa to make more safety changes at site of bus-train crash.
  • Feb. 26, 2014 | City hires a consultant to study bus stops at railway crossings.
  • March 11, 2014 | Police officers direct traffic at Fallowfield Road rail crossing due to a malfunction.
  • April 1, 2014 | Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson calls on Via Rail to fix signal issues that plague Barrhaven crossings.
  • April 4, 2014 | Via Rail says it would place staff at crossings 24/7 after nine separate instances of signal issues over a couple of months.
  • April 9, 2014 | A report suggested it isn’t necessary for OC Transpo buses to come to a complete stop at level crossings.
  • April 10, 2014 | Via Rail had trains slow down as they moved through crossings as signal issues persisted. This came after the gate would not lower.
  • April 11, 2014 | Transport Minister Lisa Raitt wanted a police investigation into possible mischief at a Barrhaven crossing.
  • April 16, 2014 | Police say there was no tampering at a level crossing.
  • April 25, 2014 | Via Rail says four of six level crossings were fixed.
  • April 29, 2014 | Via Rail blames OC Transpo for two rail crossing signal failures.
  • April 30, 2014 | Via Rail, City of Ottawa technical staff discuss signal failures.
  • May 1, 2014 | Via Rail admits OC Transpo didn't cause signal failures.
  • May 11, 2014 | A lack of communication surrounding rail crossing issues leads to a new boss for Via Rail.
  • May 15, 2014 | Via Rail’s new boss vows to fix the rail crossings and restore the public’s trust.
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