Calgary train derailment: audio captures joyrider clinging to CPKC freight before cars plunged into Priddis Slough
Audio captures a joyrider clinging to a CPKC freight minutes before the Calgary train derailment on July 13, when multiple boxcars and tankers left the track and entered the Priddis Slough.
Joyrider observed by LRT operator before derailment
Shortly after 7:30 a.m. on July 13, a Red Line LRT operator radioed Calgary Transit dispatch to report a person hanging from the rear of a southbound CPKC freight train. The audio, captured on public scanner feeds, described a male in blue jeans with brown hair clinging to a side latch and waving at passengers on the Fish Creek platform.
Colleagues who heard the transmission said the rider appeared to be in distress at times and in a jubilant mood at others, calling the behaviour “joyriding.” The sightings occurred on CPKC tracks that run parallel to the Red Line in the city’s southwest quadrant.
Uncontrolled movement reported on a separate CPKC train
Minutes after the initial report, Calgary Transit staff relayed a second observation that another CPKC train was moving backward without an obvious crew at the controls. Dispatchers and transit workers described the movement as unusual and at a speed they estimated near 50 kilometres per hour.
One transit employee speculated on the radio that the trespasser might have interfered with an air or mechanical connection, though rail officials have not confirmed a causal link. The backward movement and lack of clear sight lines raised alarms among transit and rail staff in the area.
Derailment site and extent of cars off the rails
The derailment occurred near the 17000 block of Sheriff King Street S.W., south of Stoney Trail, where several cars of the freight train veered off the main line into the Priddis Slough wetland. Transport Safety Board investigators later identified the location as Mile 108 on CPKC’s Aldersyde Subdivision.
Investigators and company representatives reported that 13 rail cars left the track, including a mix of boxcars and tank cars that carried various cargoes. Emergency crews and rail personnel secured the site and began initial response measures within hours of the incident.
Hazardous goods and cargo details
Railway officials later confirmed that eight tank cars involved in the derailment were carrying dangerous goods — seven loaded with liquefied petroleum gas and one containing refrigerated liquid argon. Other affected cars were transporting wood construction products such as lumber and plywood.
Authorities said there were no reported leaks of dangerous goods at the scene, and immediate containment measures were implemented to protect the adjacent wetland. Cleanup crews removed the derailed cars and spilled materials, and work at the site was reported as complete earlier in the week.
Charges filed against the individual on the train
CPKC’s police service disclosed that an individual seen on the freight was charged with multiple offences related to the incident. Charges include mischief over $5,000, mischief endangering life, interference with transportation facilities and failure to appear in court.
The accused was to appear before Alberta Court of Justice, with a subsequent date scheduled for July 27. A CPKC spokesperson thanked the Calgary Police Service for their collaboration in the response and criminal process.
TSB launches Class 3 investigation into the derailment
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada opened a Class 3 investigation into the incident, a designation used for occurrences that may involve significant property or environmental damage or a moderate release of dangerous goods. The TSB has described the inquiry as being in preliminary stages while teams gather evidence on site.
A TSB statement noted the southbound train experienced the derailment at Mile 108 and reiterated that, at the time of the statement, there had been no reports of dangerous goods escaping containment. The agency has indicated it will examine operational factors, mechanical conditions and any relevant human interactions as part of its probe.
Environmental and community impact around Priddis Slough
The derailment briefly affected a body of water adjacent to the right-of-way, prompting environmental monitoring and cleanup efforts focused on the Priddis Slough wetland. Local authorities and the railway worked to remove spilled construction materials and restore the shoreline area impacted by the derailed cars.
Residents in nearby communities such as Silverado and Chaparral were advised to avoid the immediate area while crews completed recovery operations. City and company officials emphasized that public safety measures were in place throughout the response.
The audio recordings heard on scanner feeds have provided investigators with time-stamped observer accounts that may help reconstruct events leading up to the derailment, but officials caution that the cause remains under review. As the TSB continues its work and legal proceedings move forward, railway operators and transit employees have reiterated the dangers of trespassing on railway property and the real risks posed by riding or interfering with freight equipment.
