Recent rail incidents on the minds of residents in the Northwest interior region

The growing frequency of CN rail movements along the Northern BC
corridor is raising concerns on safety for many communities

With a couple of high profile train derailments in the Smithers and Hazelton area over the last two months, a number of communities are starting to express some concerns over the growing volume of rail traffic along the Northern mainline between Prince Rupert and Prince George.

This week, a group in Burns Lake outlined items of note from the community and will now seek out the ear of Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen to discuss the issue further in February.

The group known as the Quick Station Residents Association will be organizing the meeting with Mr. Cullen which will also see Burns Lake Mayor Chris Beach in attendance.

The gathering is set for Wednesday, February 21st at the Telkwa Council Chamber.

Last fall, the Burns Lake Council received a presentation from a CN Rail police constable which highlighted the volume of traffic that now travels along the CN line to serve the Port of Prince Rupert, with it estimated that an average of 24 trains per day, or one per hour, which transit through the community either heading east or west.

With the port continuing to expand on its reputation for shipments, that volume of traffic is expected to continue and at some point one imagines will increase as we move further into 2018.

A good review of the issues that are of concern to residents in the Burns Lake area is available from this article in the Lakes District News.

MP Nathan Cullen will hear some
concerns on Rail Safety later this month
during a meeting in the Bulkley Valley

Mr. Cullen himself raised the issue of safety along the railroad following the Smithers derailment of December , making note of the
prospect of two Liquid Propane Export terminals planned for Prince Rupert, once again reinforcing those concerns over rail safety in January following the New Hazelton incident.

Should some of the other communities that mark the map along the CN main line between Prince Rupert and Prince George make contact with him, the Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP may want to consider his own "whistle stop" tour of Northwest communities.

Offering up a forum to seek out feedback from those residents as to what measures that they would like to see the Federal government put in place to provide for enhanced safety procedures through their cities and towns.

For more items related to CN Rail in the Northwest see our archive page here.


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