18 November 2007
Canadian Pacific, Minnesota Officials to Meet Over Coal Train Project
 
Rochester Minnesota USA - Officials with the Canadian
Pacific Railway are expected to meet with Rochester leaders next week for the first time since the railroad announced it's buying the
Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad, local officials said.
They said the private meeting will likely be 27 Nov 2007 in Canada. Canadian Pacific is headquartered in Calgary.
The main topic is expected to be Canadian Pacific's plans to carry out a coal train project that the DM&E planned, and that
Rochester fought in court and in Congress. The city and the Mayo Clinic oppose the expansion because of a potential tenfold increase
in train traffic through Rochester.
Olmsted County Commissioner Ken Brown said he was encouraged that the invitation came from Canadian Pacific. He said he hoped it might
be a sign that Canadian Pacific will be an easier negotiating partner than the DM&E.
Brown, who represents the county government on the Rochester Coalition, which was formed to oppose the project, said he can't attend
because the county board will have its 2008 budget discussions that week, but he would if he could.
"I know that we (Rochester) will be well-represented," Brown said.
Canadian Pacific announced its $1.48 billion purchase of DM&E on 5 Sep 2007. The deal includes up to $1.05 billion in
incentives and Canadian Pacific's assumption of $250 million of DM&E's debt, which means the overall value of the deal might be as
much as about $2.7 billion.
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