CN Rail: There’s No Accounting For It
The following statement was released on December 22 by TRAC, the citizen’s group in Chicago who have been negatively impacted by CN Rail’s expansion into their communities:
“We applaud the STB for listening to our concerns and holding Canadian National accountable for its constant disregard for public safety. However, more needs to be done to ensure that communities across the nation are not harmed by Canadian National’s lack of respect for our citizens and the STB’s authority. The STB acted only after The Regional Answer to Canadian National (TRAC) exposed the reality that Canadian National was significantly underreporting crossing delays. We have received hundreds of complaints from first responders and citizens who have been and continue to be negatively impacted by unnecessary delays due to Canadian National’s negligence in maintaining a railway that has any level of regard for the tens of thousands of people forced to cross the EJ&E daily. The Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) decision brings to light a serious flaw in how railroads are regulated.”
This statement speaks for itself, especially the chilling observations voiced by first responders who require emergency road access, and the restrictions they have faced in doing so at rail crossings shared with CN Rail.
The Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) fine of $250,000 imposed on CN Rail serves as a wake up call to both sides of the border. Public safety is adversely affected when access by priority users of the crossing, our first responders, is impeded.
The Chicago Tribune weighs in on this issue with the article “Canadian National fined $250,000“. The Tribune reports that a US Senator is calling for “increased transparency by requesting copies of those agreements be made public in order to hold CN accountable.”
TRAC is “The Regional Answer to Canadian National”. They are a Chicago based group of citizens whose mission is to “To educate citizens about Canadian National Railway’s proposed acquisition of the EJ&E Railway, and encourage opportunities to unite in opposition against this transaction.”
The US Surface Transportation Board (STB) is comparable to Transport Canada.
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Rail and Reason 
CN & the taxpayers will likely have to pay for some grade separations. One thing for shure, the trains will keep rolling around Chicago just like the trains will keep on rolling thru the New Westminiter Quayside Community & also thru Woodstock long after everyone on this blod is dead.$250,000 for CN is like 25 cents to me.
Jeff Willsie
Pres OSR
WHY would the tax payers have to pay? If Sears or Walmart has big hole in their parking lot the taxpayers dont pay to have it fixed so why would we pay for the CN to fix their problems?
Hi Denise
In the USA the state & federal gov spend many millions on railway projects they think are in the public interest.
Jeff Willsie