Home Safe, Every Day: Railway Age CEO Perspectives on Safety

Safety is foundational to everything we do at CPKC. We are working to bring a new standard of safety to the North American rail landscape. Canadian Pacific’s (CP) proven culture of safety combined with Kansas City Southern’s (KCS) likeminded approach make it possible for CPKC to operate at the apex of rail safety. That is our commitment and our obligation. Our culture at CPKC is one of excellence that we adhere to 24/7, 365 days a year. 

In 2023, CPKC led the industry with the lowest FRA-reportable train accident frequency among Class I railroads, building on CP’s legacy of 17 consecutive years leading the industry. 

Through our Home Safe program, which reinforces our culture of safety, and through cutting-edge technologies and innovation, we work to protect our railroaders, our communities, our customers and the environment. CPKC railroaders embrace safety as a journey, not a destination. Whether it’s on the ballast or in the office, our railroaders are committed to performing their work safely and to always trying to do better today than they did yesterday. 

In 2023, we introduced our Home Safe program to railroaders across our combined network south of Kansas City, including in Mexico, and provided refresher training across the network where Home Safe has been a key component of our safety culture for many years. Home Safe is an initiative designed to strengthen our safety culture by tapping into the human side of safety and promoting both safety engagement and feedback. Home Safe training sessions end with each employee making a commitment to reinforce our Home Safe actions and take responsibility for their own safety, as well as that of their coworkers. 

Since we began our journey as CPKC, we have continued to develop and leverage innovations and technologies that help to improve safety and performance across our network. In 2023, approximately 60% of CPKC’s capital investment went to basic replacement and safety infrastructure. For example, we continue to invest in our broken rail detection system, which runs an electric current though the rail to detect problems. This enhances safety and track speed and improves cycle times and fuel efficiency at a fraction of the cost of Centralized Traffic Control. CPKC also recently added another remote inspection portal to our network, this time in British Columbia, to perform technology-based train inspections.

Rail transportation is the safest way to transport hazardous materials over land. We work closely with all stakeholders in the supply chain that is involved in the transportation of hazardous materials, including shippers, receivers, and everyone in between to transport these essential products safely and securely.  We also work with railroad supply companies and governments to develop programs and standards to help protect communities. 

We are legally required to transport hazardous materials as part of our common carrier obligations, on reasonable terms and conditions, and do so in accordance with all applicable laws, including safety and environmental protection regulations.

At CPKC we also understand the importance of serving as rail safety ambassadors and modeling safe behaviors around the railway for our family, friends and co-workers. CPKC supports Operation Lifesaver in Canada and Operation Lifesaver Inc. in the U.S. and Mexico to promote rail safety education. Railway police work diligently with Operation Lifesaver state and provincial agencies and local law enforcement to share rail safety messages year-round and by participating in community outreach activities and Rail Safety Week.