Hinton rail disaster: Witness recalls the silence in 1986

For some who lived through it, the Hinton rail disaster is remembered less for the noise than for the quiet that settled in once crews reached the wreckage.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Colin Hanington was 22 and volunteering as a firefighter when a CN Rail freight train and the Via Rail Super Continental passenger train collided east of Hinton, Alta., on Feb. 8, 1986. He said the first information coming in was sketchy. As responders headed toward the site, they followed a thick plume of smoke that led them to the tangled scene, as described in a Canadian Press report published by CityNews Toronto.

Hanington said the crash looked like a knot of railcars, with smoke still hanging over the twisted pile. From close range, it was a jumble of cars and burning debris that made the scale of the collision unmistakable. Twenty-three people died.

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Paramedics arrived close behind the firefighters and began helping survivors while Hanington and his team worked to put out the fires. Even with people moving through the wreckage, he remembers the soundscape as subdued: the crackle of flames, voices and some yelling — but not the steady calls for help many might expect.

What first responders saw at the Hinton rail disaster site?

Hanington said signs of destruction were everywhere. One car had already burned, and he said figures could be seen inside. Along the section of track where the freight cars struck the passenger cars, he recalled stepping over pieces of remains, aware that people had been inside when the impact happened.

He also described finding one member of the CN Rail crew beneath debris. After some material was moved, he said they saw the man’s hand — and only then did Hanington realize he had unknowingly been standing on top of him. The crew member was dead. Hanington said the realization horrified him and has remained with him.

Inquiry findings and Canadian National Railway safety concerns

A public inquiry later concluded that the freight crew failed to stop in time because of incapacitation or other unknown factors. The Foisy Commission report (Library and Archives Canada) also pointed to serious problems in the culture and safety practices at Canadian National Railway.

Lianne Lefsrud, an associate professor of engineering safety and risk management at the University of Alberta, said the crash occurred in a span of 17 seconds after the engineer missed advance signals meant to prompt preparations to stop. She noted that a train of that size would take miles to stop, and that passing signals happens. Lefsrud said many steps have been taken since 1986 to reduce the risk of another collision, and that regulators are looking at enhanced train control, including options tied to automatic braking on trains. In her view, the rail system is significantly safer than it was 40 years ago, in part because of lessons drawn from events like the Hinton collision.

How Hinton remembers the 23 victims?

Four decades later, the crash site is marked by a stone cairn bearing the date of the tragedy. Hinton Mayor Brian Laberge said the accident has not been forgotten, and he noted that it remains vivid for those who were involved — including first responders and hospital staff who still remember that day.

In town, the Northern Rockies Museum of Culture and Heritage holds a plaque listing the names of all 23 victims. The plaque was unveiled a decade ago in front of a rail car. Operations manager Margaret Schultz said people still come in with direct connections to the tragedy — from hospital workers who carry the stress in their eyes when they talk about that day, to visitors who lost friends or family members. She also described a man who arrived with flowers he wanted to leave in memory of his wife, who died in the crash.

Schultz said there is no exhibit about the accident inside the museum. She added that she is hesitant to create one or include the disaster in an event because the memories remain very alive for many people in the community.

Julianne Threlfall, a spokesperson for CN, said the anniversary is a reminder of the critical importance of safety and of the company’s commitment to learning and growing. In a statement, she said CN honours those who lost their lives and extends sympathies to their families, friends, and all who continue to carry the weight of that day.

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