7 February 2006
Council Hears CPR's Reworked Proposal
Crowsnest Pass - Canadian Pacific Railway has presented the municipality with three options
for its desired new 8,500-foot railway siding in the Crowsnest Pass.
Municipal representatives have voiced concerns about the affects of a new siding on crossings in Coleman and the wetlands between
Coleman and Blairmore. Nonetheless, near the end of their presentation to the municipality on 30 Jan 2006 CPR's Community
Relations Manager Rick Poznikoff said, "CPR invites input from Municipality of Crowsnest Pass as to siding location, within the
identified practical limits for siding construction. CPR does not require approval from the Municipality to construct siding within
railway right of way."
CPR's three options for a new siding are located at different intervals between the Crowsnest River bridge on the west side of Blairmore
and the 67th Street public crossing on the west side of Coleman.
Option one would mean the east switch would be located east of Drain Brothers private crossing. The Drain Brothers crossing would then
be relocated eastwards. The west switch would be located between the 81st and 88th St. crossings. The crossing at 88th St. would be
either closed or converted to a gated crossing for emergency access. If the municipality chooses this option, CPR would support a new
crossing between 81st St. and 67th St. and upgrade one additional crossing in the Pass.
Option two would mean the east switch would be located just west of Drain Brothers private crossing, which would not be affected.
The west switch would be just east of 81st St. Gates would then be added to the 81st St. crossing. Again, the crossing at 88th St. would
be either closed or converted to a gated crossing for emergency access and CPR would support a new crossing between 81st St. and 67th St.
Option three is CPR's favourite and cheapest option. The east switch would be located just east of the 88th St. crossing while the west
switch would remain as it is near 67th St. With this option, CPR would oppose the construction of any new crossing between 88th St. and
67th St. Option three would also affect traffic when trains meet or pass. CPR says trains will be regulated to minimize the negative
impact on vehicles.
The construction of a new siding in the Pass is part of CPR's attempt to better compete with Canadian National Railway. CNR's 61.8
percent operating ratio for the fourth-quarter of 2005 - calculated by dividing operating expenses by operating revenue -
was better than CPR's 77.4 percent. "Traffic growth requires that CPR construct additional capacity in this corridor," noted
Poznikoff. "CPR's Crowsnest Subdivision is a key link in the bridge route between the US Midwest and Washington State, via
Kingsgate." The Crowsnest Subdivision primarily handles grain, potash, coal, sulphur and industrial products.
Last year, CPR constructed new railway sidings on the Crowsnest Subdivision at Chokio (near Brocket) and at Burmis.
Councillor Dean Ward was unimpressed with CPR's presentation. "They have more power than God over their right of way," he
said, referring to the 50 feet of land they control on either side of the railway. "(CPR) wouldn't listen to any other option
like moving (the proposed siding) to Sentinel," added Councillor Gary Taje. "It's only five or six minutes away," said
Councillor Ward. "Their presentation quite truthfully showed a lack of desire to cooperate with the municipality and I don't see
any reason to cooperate with them," said Councillor Gary Taje, echoing Councillor Ward's comments.
Councillor Taje was especially distressed that CPR had removed the option of putting a closed gate on the crossing at 67th St. in
Coleman. He is also concerned about CPR's refusal to construct gates at railway crossings that would be needed to stop the noise
pollution from train whistles. Taje says another one of his concerns is the effect of trains parked on the proposed siding which could
leak contaminants into the old channel of the Crowsnest River and the possible affect on local trout populations.
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