Public Safety

The first rule of safety is to minimize exposure to risk. Canadian Pacific and DM&E plan to do the exact opposite – increase exposure to risk in trackside communities. The facts indicate that the proposed upgrade and expansion pose an acceptable risk to public safety. The concerns include:

• Potential for a hazardous-materials disaster. A train accident that releases hazardous materials could kill or injure thousands of people. DM&E’s growing volume of chemical shipments and train speeds up to 60 mph provide the main ingredients for catastrophe.
   
• DM&E’s worst-in-class safety record. For the fourth year in a row and the eighth time in the past 10 years, the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad (DM&E) recorded the highest train accident rate of the nation’s largest freight railroads in 2006. The train accident rate on DM&E’s main line was 9.0 times higher than the national average.
   
• Skyrocketing transportation risk. More trains, more speed, more hazardous materials, and a company that perennially contends for the title of America’s most dangerous railroad. Do the math: The odds of a major accident will soar.
   
• More accidents at rail crossings. DM&E’s accident rate at rail crossings is already 4.6 times higher than the national average. Multiplying train speeds with no additional protection at crossings will guarantee more accidents involving motorists.
   
• Emergency-response delays. As the number of trains increases, the number of traffic delays increases. As a result, freight trains will be more likely to delay response to emergencies by ambulances, law enforcement and firefighters – with possible life-or-death consequences.