[URBAN NOTE] CBC News on the recent train derailment in midtown Toronto

[rfmcdonald]

CBC News' Shanifa Nasser takes a look at the very recent train derailment in downtown Toronto. Since a huge stretch of track extending west to my street was involved, I'd think I'm entitled to some concern.

Two trains are travelling in opposite directions, one headed eastbound at 48 kilometres per hour and another westbound at 80 kilometres per hour, before sideswiping each other at a railway crossover in midtown Toronto.

Why did the westbound train operator see the stop signal so late? No, this isn't a high school math problem. It's a key point in the investigation into a Canadian Pacific train derailment that spilled 1,100 litres of diesel fuel near the residential Annex neighbourhood early Sunday morning.

New details emerged Monday as officials looked into the crash that left four rail cars leaning and damaged the tracks.

Neither train was speeding, the Transportation Safety Board says, and CP Rail ruled out mechanical problems, instead pointing the finger at human error, something it reiterated on Monday.

"After careful review, we determined that all track, equipment and signal systems worked as designed, and our preliminary investigation indicates human error is to blame," the railway said in a statement, adding, "We know one incident is too many."

On Monday, the union representing CP Rail workers called that conclusion "premature" but said it understands two of its workers are being investigated.