By Jill Sperling

Stopped trains causing concerns on Tk’emlups reserve

Mar 8, 2019 | 3:45 PM

KAMLOOPS — About 500 people live on the west side of the railroad tracks running through the Tk’emlups Indian Band reserve. 

On Wednesday evening, a train stopped along the tracks, preventing all of those residents from entering or leaving their community. 

“We were all stuck on the — I guess you would call it the east side. We were all having to wait for about an hour and a half before the train actually moved and we could get home.” 

Bernice Jensen lives in a small subdivision off Kootenay Way. She says she encounters an issue with trains parked on the tracks almost monthly, causing her to be late for work and her children late for school. 

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But, the bigger concern for Jensen is the safety of community members and access for emergency services. 

“If anyone gets hurt, the ambulance can’t get across,” she said. “Also with fire, police as well because the police can’t come across and they won’t be able to come if you call for anything.”

“What was unacceptable was the fact that our members were lined up at every single entrance through this reserve for about an hour and 20 minutes,” said Chief Rosanne Casimir. “That’s unacceptable.” 

Casimir says the Tk’emlups Indian Band has been in constant contact with CN over the issue of trains blocking access to the community. 

“Every single year it’s been the same discussions, same discussions, and same issues that are brought to the table and I know that this time we definitely want to see some change and we want to carry on those discussions and see some real action go with that.”

Casimir adds any new rail yard developments need to go through a community consultation. 

CFJC Today reached out to CN to discuss the ongoing problems. 

The company says it understands the concerns of residents and works to minimize impacts to the communities it travels through. 

On Wednesday night, however, the train experienced a mechanical issue and could not move. CN apologized for the inconvenience.

“I would like for them to park on the north side so that we’re not affected, this community on this side is not affected by the train whenever they’re doing repairs,” Jensen said.