Winona, pop. 26,641

Residents and college students have raised concern over the proposed Powder River Basin (PRB) expansion because increased traffic from coal trains would be routed through the heart of their community, near the campus of Winona State University and its more than 8,000 students.

DM&E has ignored concerns in Winona because the company’s tracks end at Minnesota City, just a few miles north of Winona. DM&E trains there switch to the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) main line that runs through Winona. As of now, every DM&E coal train – up to 43 a day – would go to the CP line because DM&E has no other viable interchange points.

In the fall of 2006, Winona State students hosted a town hall meeting with Mayor Jerry Miller and a national railroad safety expert to discuss the potential dangers of increased train traffic just 100 yards from campus. Citing concerns about trackside safety, the Student Senate at Winona State voted 22-2 to oppose DM&E’s coal-hauling project. Students remain concerned because of CP’s acquisition of DM&E and its plans to route additional DM&E trains to the CP main line at Minnesota City.

Contact
Jason B
obiwarz@gmail

People Power Works

Tens of thousands of taxpayers joined forces to oppose giving a $2.33 billion federal loan to DM&E, a small company with big political connections, and in February 2007 the Federal Railroad Administration rejected DM&E's application, echoing our position in labeling the loan an "unacceptably high risk to federal taxpayers."

DM&E's ambitions have not changed, and informed citizens remain concerned about multiple aspects of the company's rail construction plans. What can you do?

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