Lacombe Alberta - For more than a decade Lacombe residents and city council have lamented the whistle din from passing trains.
 
On Monday, council put a plan in motion to work with CPKC to silence the whistles at four of five crossings within the city and request Lacombe County pursue whistle cessation at two crossings just outside the city.
 
Council also passed a motion to develop long-term options at the busy Highway 12 and 2A intersection at the edge of the historic downtown to improve safety and eventually silence the whistles there as well.
 
The intersection has among the highest collision sites in the city and there have been at least two collisions between trains and vehicles at the intersection in recent years, city engineering services manager Amber Mitchell told council.
 
Coun. Don Gullekson said something clearly needs to be done.
 
"The reality is, if there's been that many accidents there, it's only a matter of time before a tanker truck or something that becomes a major issue at that intersection. So, to me it's not just a whistle cessation issue, it's a safety issue, and we need to address that. I'm fully in favour of looking at that because that intersection scares me to death," said Gullekson.
 
Coun. Chris Ross said the speed of trains passing through the intersection increases the risk of a disaster.
 
"I think there's kind of a double standard on (CPKC's) part with the speed that they go through town. If we ever have a derailment it's going to be a major mass casualty event."
 
Mitchell said to improve safety at the intersection the queue for westbound traffic on Highway 12 needs to be moved further east, which would mean relocating the traffic signals and altering signal timing to ensure large trucks would have time to clear the intersection ahead of any approaching train.
 
The cost of upgrades has not been determined but CPKC suggested the bill could be $400,000 to $800,000.
 
The intersection is a "bit of a gong show. It's going to cost a few bucks, but we need to address that sooner rather than later," said Coun. Reuben Konnik.
 
Residents have complained for many years about the din from shrieking train whistles blasted at five crossings in the city and another three in the county just outside town.
 
In 2018, city council directed administration to look into the problem and determine what would have to be done to successfully silence the whistles.
 
Coun. Thalia Hibbs said the movement on the train whistle issue is "a long time coming."
 
She credited local residents for stepping up and pushing for changes.
 
"It was people in the community getting frustrated with the increased traffic, increased noise."
 
Last month, CPKC completed an inspection of the city's rail crossings and gave the green light to the city to apply for whistle cessation at three crossings, at 46th Avenue, 34th Street, and Highway 12, Wolf Creek Drive, and Highway 12.
 
The rail company said the city could also apply for cessation at Wolf Creek Drive and Highway 2A, but only after a pedestrian crossing is completed next year.
 
CPKC was not in favour of whistle cessation at the most high-profile crossing at 50th Avenue (Highway 12) and Highway 2A without a significant redesign.
 
Council unanimously approved a motion to pursue silencing whistles at those four crossings and to ask Lacombe County to pursue cessation at two crossings at 34th Street and Range Road 270 on Highway 2A.
 
Council also directed administration to develop long-term options for Highway 12 and 2A and bring them back during 2024 budget talks.
 
The town of Innisfail successfully lobbied CPKC to silence its whistles at town crossings beginning in 2021.
 
Paul Cowley.