Action plan regarding CP Rail train whistle complaints

09/12/2012

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) wishes to inform the community that it is implementing a new action plan to deal with complaints of excessing warning whistles from some trains utilizing the CP Rail tracks near the Mohawk Trail and South Texas areas of Kahnawà:ke.

Grand Chief Michael Ahríhron Delisle, Jr. will send a letter to CP Rail insisting that the issue be dealt with as soon as possible. Additional letters will be sent to the mayors of the surrounding communities to enlist support for a quick resolution to the problem.

“According to community members, it seems that certain engineers appear to go out of their way to blow their whistles out of proportion to the actual need,” said Community Protection portfolio chief Martin Leborgne. “We know there are safety requirements but the evidence points to a need to ‘tone it down’ during certain times.”

There is a good possibility that three of the four level crossings in the area could see the discontinuation of mandatory whistles in the future. However, the MCK and CP Rail must complete a joint assessment of the area to ensure that safety needs of community members are met. An announcement will be made shortly to determine when and how this assessment will be conducted.

Additionally, the MCK wishes to inform the community that CP Rail has reported a great many instances in which the train operators have had no choice but to blow long warning whistles due to ATV’s using the tracks, cars ignoring the warning signals, people standing on the tracks and other such problems. 

While it acknowledges that there are legitimate concerns and complaints, community members are reminded that they should not be part of the problem and are urged to refrain from engaging in dangerous behaviors that leave train operators no choice but to blow warning whistles.   

Finally, Community Protection will soon be starting classes in local schools to teach railway safety to the children once dates are confirmed.