Enderlin, a small town in SE North Dakota took on Canadian Pacific in a short-lived federal lawsuit last fall, the issue — trains sitting in town blocking crossings. The suit was quickly dropped, but it appears a compromise has been reached after all. The full news release from Senator Hoeven’s office follows below.
— Official News Release —
Senator John Hoeven today announced that Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway has committed to modifying its operations in the city of Enderlin so that trains will no longer block a key thoroughfare through the city.
When a westbound train is stopped in town, CP has directed its engineers to park it on the east side of the Broadway crossing; eastbound trains will stop on the west side of the Broadway crossing, which will enable vehicles, especially emergency vehicles, to cross town in a timely manner.
Hoeven brought Canadian Pacific Railway executives to Enderlin for a meeting with Mayor Deon Maasjo and other city officials to help resolve the ongoing concern the city has had with CP. Blocking main thoroughfares forced emergency vehicles to take detours and posed a safety risk to citizens, city officials said.
“City officials and first responders made a strong case to the railroad,” Hoeven said. “When time is of the essence, ambulances and fire engines need to respond as quickly as possible. Detours around parked trains were not just an inconvenience; they created a safety issue for residents. We appreciate that Canadian Pacific officials recognized that and have agreed to address it.”
In attendance at the meeting were Enderlin Mayor Deon Maasjo, City Auditor Cyndee Chasley, Ransom County Deputy Sheriff Chris Sandvig, representatives of the Enderlin Fire Department and EMT. CP Rail Vice President of Marketing and Sales John Brooks and company Vice-President of Operations, Southern Region Robert Johnson represented Canadian Pacific Railway.
