Montreal-area train derailment: CP resumes operations

Crews clean up a derailed cargo train in Repentigny, Que., on Monday, July 6, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

Less than three days after the train derailment that alarmed many residents, Canadian National (CN) resumed operations in Repentigny on Wednesday morning.

In a post shared on his Facebook page, Nicolas Dufour, mayor of the city located on the North Shore, noted that the first trains had passed through the area where the accident occurred that morning.

“CN crews are on site to assess the situation and ensure that everything is being done according to best practices, to ensure your safety,” he assured, adding that municipal crews were also on site.

Authorities in the city, which has a population of nearly 90,000, confirmed Tuesday evening that trains would resume service following a delicate operation to remove the cars that had derailed a few days earlier.

Officials confirmed that the rail infrastructure had been restored to working order and had been “thoroughly inspected.”

They sought to reassure concerned residents by noting that trains would operate at reduced speeds and that inspections would be conducted after each pass.

Too early to determine cause

he Transportation Safety Board of Canada says it’s too early to determine how 49 CN railcars derailed on Sunday near Montreal.

In a news release, the independent agency confirms that no dangerous goods were released from the cars and that no injuries were reported.

It says investigators are collecting information, including train handling and track conditions, and analyzing data from locomotive voices and video recorders.

The agency says a CN Rail train travelling from Joliette, Que., was rolling southward when it derailed at the edge of a residential area of Repentigny, Que., northeast of Montreal, around 5 p.m.

Dufour said that two weeks ago, repairs were being carried out on the section of track where the train derailed.

The derailment occurred one day before the 13-year anniversary of the Lac-Mégantic rail disaster that killed 47 people about 200 kilometres east of Repentigny.

- With files from Noovo Info and The Canadian Press