Niagara Falls Ontario - CPKC Merger negotiations "held up" talks between the City of Niagara Falls and rail agencies about freight trains cutting through the heart of the city.
 
"We're still pursuing all our discussions with the reciprocal agreement from the CN to the CPKC tracks and that's where things sit," said Mayor Jim Diodati after Coun. Lori Lococo asked for an update on the municipality's train rerouting efforts during Tuesday's council meeting.
 
Under the banner of CPKC, the merger of North America's two smallest Class 1 railways became official 14 Apr 2023.
 
The fusion created the only railway stretching from Canada through the U.S. and Mexico and marked the continent's first major rail merger in more than two decades after a U.S. regulator approved the US$31 billion deal in March.
 
Over the past several years, Niagara Falls staff has done extensive work to look at relocating trains outside of the city and alternative ways to limit congestion caused when trains are queued through Niagara Falls.
 
The first phase of the study was completed in 2018 and in 2019 politicians approved $300,000 to complete the second phase.
 
At the time, council extended the city's contract with WSP Canada Group Ltd., the consultant hired to study the issue, to conduct the next phase.
 
In 2018, a report from WSP showed there are as many as four daily train movements through Niagara Falls that can cause delays as long as 35 minutes.
 
Between 2015 and 2018 there were 21 Canadian National train breakdowns that resulted in total blockages as long as two hours, 11 of which occurred during peak weekday periods.
 
Building overpasses is an option, but consultants at the time said to build even one would cost between $25 million and $60 million and take five or six years to receive approvals, plan, design, and build.
 
WSP said the least expensive and most promising option involves rerouting.
 
During Tuesday's meeting, Lococo said a train recently "got stuck for over an hour" in the city.
 
"I know we've been doing this for years and years, and we've talked to CN, and we've talked to CP. We have to do something," she said.
 
"I understand the safety of it, 911 is given different guidelines when a road is blocked to go in different ways, but it's a huge inconvenience to our community. What is our plan moving forward?"
 
Diodati said he and Coun. Wayne Thomson "have been on this for years, and unfortunately, it goes at a glacial pace."
 
Diodati said city officials have discussed rerouting with CN.
 
"They have tracks that come through the city that are shared by VIA Rail and also shared by GO, Metrolinx.
 
Traditionally, historically, they used to cross in Niagara Falls and go into Niagara Falls, N.Y. ," he said, adding that no longer happens after tracks and a bridge were sold.
 
"Now, through a dozen crossings, they come through the city, they meander, they've got a few rail spurs that they use occasionally, and then they exit the city."
 
Diodati said discussions addressed reciprocal agreements CN has with CP, "where they can bypass the city altogether for some of their trains."
 
"We did have those discussions, there's a horizontal CP track that goes across the city and crosses over in Fort Erie into Black Rock, N.Y., like all the other trains," he said, adding that's when talks were interrupted by CP's Kansas City merger.
 
"I can tell you that we have been in touch with some of the senior people involved in the transaction and we are going to revisit the idea of the reciprocal agreement."
 
Diodati described past discussions and dialogue as "very positive."
 
"We've also had a number of upgrades with rail safety and a lot of things that we put in place to avoid completely bisecting the city, because that's exactly what happens in Niagara Falls," he said.
 
"Our ambulance, our police, our fire, we have to be on both sides of the tracks, and today the rail lines are much bigger than they used to be, and they cause more delay. It's not just a matter of inconvenience, it's a matter of safety.
 
Ray Spiteri.