CN denies train report incomplete

The mayors of Aurora and Barrington want to know why Canadian National Railway omitted a brush fire on a report to federal officials but included an incident about an employee getting a hand cut while fixing a paper jam.

Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner and Barrington Village President Karen Darch claim CN left out key incidents on a report the rail company is required to submit to the U.S. Surface Transportation Board.

The local leaders say that in CN's first monthly report of incidents and delays on its newly acquired EJ&E line, the rail company omitted 18 train delays of more than 10 minutes, a March brush fire started by a spark from a locomotive and various quiet-zone violations.

The mayors sent a letter this week to the STB detailing their complaints.

"The main point is self-reporting by CN obviously has its limitations, and that's what we're seeing with this report," Darch said.

CN officials say they've complied with all reporting requirements.

The STB mandated the monthly reports in December when it approved CN's purchase of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern rail line, which runs in an arc around the Chicago region.

For five years, CN must provide operational and environmental reports, the first of which was submitted April 10. The next is due Monday.

Weisner and Darch are co-chairs of The Regional Answer to Canadian National, or TRAC, a coalition of suburbs along the EJ&E that opposed the deal because of the prospect of more freight traffic and safety concerns.

CN spokesman Patrick Waldron said the brush fire was not listed because it didn't meet the reporting criteria.

"We've provided all the information that was outlined in those requirements put forth in the transaction decision," he said.

The report did mention a seemingly minor incident: an employee suffering a cut to a hand while trying to fix a photocopier paper jam. Waldron said CN is required to report any employee injury.

TRAC is calling for an independent party to review CN's incident logs and submit the reports. Darch said "another set of eyes that doesn't have the same interest in the situation" is needed. Waldron said the STB is "well qualified" to handle its own reporting.

Barrington filed a January appeal against the CN purchase. Darch said the appeal won't progress until the STB resolves an existing legal issue with the initial CN transaction. The appeal gives TRAC a flicker of hope that the deal could be reversed and makes the accuracy of their reporting fair game, Weisner said.

"Canadian National's conduct and behavior in the meantime is very relevant, and it should be properly tracked," he said. "That's what TRAC is making sure happens. I think the STB should be concerned, and so would the courts."

CN's reports can be viewed in their entirety at stbfinancedocket35087.com.