The City of St. Thomas is still committed to urging CN Rail to restore the historic London and Port Stanley Railway (L& PS) route, even after a recent council decision to end a related project, according to the city’s mayor.
On Tuesday, city councillors voted to officially cancel the long-dormant L& PS extension project that had been in the works for a decade and reallocate the remaining $285,000 back into an infrastructure reserve fund. City staff will provide updates on possible passive recreational uses for the vacant land.
While the city aims to reconnect with the former route, cancelling this project allows for greater flexibility in funding other priorities until an agreement can be reached with CN, Mayor Joe Preston stated.
“We continue to work with CN. We’re at a stalemate with them … We’re trying to get this connection reconnected. Port Stanley Terminal Rail (PSTR) is the recipient of the connection, and we’ve been trying to help them with it,” Preston said Thursday.
“The city recognizes that, should we be successful … the city would find the funds it needs to do the connection.”
This leftover money has been recorded in the city’s budget for ten years. St. Thomas approved $500,000 for this initiative in its 2016 budget, which included $166,000 from federal sources.
According to a report by city staff, part of this funding was redirected in 2017 toward rail-trail active transportation projects “when it became apparent that the project would not proceed.”
“Administration can confirm that (CN Rail’s) position regarding reconnection of the L& PS rail line to the CN network has not changed,” states the report.
“CN continues to refuse authorization for a connection to its rail corridor. While advocacy efforts continue, including ongoing support from Member of Parliament Andrew Lawton, the issue remains unresolved and no approval for reconnection has been secured,” adds the report.
CN purchased L& PS tracks from London City in 1965 and abandoned part of it south of St. Thomas during the early 1980s. Since 1983, PSTR has operated tourist trains along those rails while CN maintains freight operations on tracks north of St. Thomas.
Petition Calls for Federal Action on CN’s Inaction
Lawton, who represents Elgin-St. Thomas-London South as MP, has been urging federal officials to compel CN to allow PSTR access to its tracks as mandated by what is now known as Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) back in 1990.
In 1989, CN dismantled track between Barwick Street Bridge and Wellington Street after CTA ruled it was considered a spur line exempt from lengthy abandonment procedures required by railroads. Later on, PSTR restored trackage going northward but halted just before Kains Street.
According to CTA’s order, CN was also obligated at its own expense to replace a rail diamond removed south of Barwick Street back in 1988 upon connecting physically with PSTR-this diamond had been taken out against earlier directives noted in their order.
City staff mentioned that St. Thomas “engaged extensively” with CN between 2016 and 2020 exploring alternative connections after they denied reinstating original crossings despite needing replacements per regulation standards-no agreements were ever made during this time frame.
CN Rail did not respond when asked for comments before publication nor did they reply previously requested inquiries made back in June or any requests sent out seeking feedback from CTA prior as well around same timeframe concerning compliance issues raised here today too pertaining directly about how things are handled operationally within their parameters set forth originally already established earlier above too regarding these matters thus far currently ongoing right now still yet unresolved situation altogether here again presently once more today then too again overall here presently ultimately moving forward further along ahead later down line perhaps yet eventually too accordingly onward onward thus progressing further each step keeping hopeful awaiting outcomes hopefully soon enough eventually arriving together jointly working closely engaged cooperatively collaboratively towards resolution sought together ultimately desired aiming directly across board hence forth 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WATCH | Take a trip from Port Stanley to London with this footage from 1957:
Ride The Rails On The London And Port Stanley Railway With This Historic CBC FootageWhat Was It Like Riding The Historic London And Port Stanley Railway? Come And See For Yourself With This Silent Time-Lapse Footage Plucked From The CBC Archives Filmed Shortly Before Passenger Service On The Railway Came To An End In February 1957.
In June,Lawton presenteda petitiontothe House Of Commons calling For Transport Minister To Enforce CTA’s Order.
The government’s official response filed On Aug18 By Transport Minister Steven Mackinnon said Neither Pstr Nor Cn Had Advised Cta Of Concerns Related To Non-Compliance.
Kelloway Added Should The Agency Receive Information Indicating Issues With Compliance It Will Review Matter Determine Whether Any Action Appropriate.
“I Find It A Little Bit Odd That In Thirty Years Of People Talking About This Issue And Raising It They’re Claiming They Haven’t Heard About It,” Lawton Said Thursday.
“But It Also Gives Us A Mechanism That Pstr Is Able To Use Put This Issue On The Agenda Actually Have Enforcement Of That Order Take Place.”Pstr Alone Has Legal Standing File Complaint He Said.
“I Know The City Of St. thomas Will Be There Support Them They Could Even Potentially Intervene If It Were Go Tribunal I’ll Be There Supporter As Well”.
Andrew Lawton Conservative Mp For Elgin-st. thomas-london South Isha Bhargava/Cbc
