Is There A Crushing Need For DRTP's Doublestack Rail Tunnel

With this kind of mistake, there may well be a need for a doublestack rail tunnel in Windsor. I am sure that you read the story about rail cars being crushed:

• "CP rail cars too tall for tunnel
  
  A Canadian Pacific Railroad train heading through the CP rail tunnel from Detroit suffered significant damage Sunday afternoon when shipping containers on 24 intermodal cars were partly crushed on the tunnel's roof, damaging contents but causing no injuries."

In the news story though where this was reported, the CP spokesperson said something rather peculiar

• "Asked why officials didn't realize the containers were too high, the official replied: "That's what's being investigated."
  
  He said the crew were unaware of what was happening until they emerged on the Windsor side. "The locomotive engineer, he wouldn't necessarily have seen or heard anything," he said.
  
  The tunnel is tall enough to accommodate double-stack rail cars"

If that is the case, then what is this desire by CP Rail/Borealis to have a new tunnel built. With this border file, I cannot help but believe that there's something more that is going on than we know about! What it is, who knows.

Gee, if one sponsors a Windsor Festival then Councillors seemed to fall over themselves to invite you to do a presentation about your project.

For the second week in a row, after Resolutions were received from the Michigan House and Senate, Windsor Councillors all of a sudden seem interested in the DRTP rail tunnel again. First, it was Councillor Lewenza. Then it was Councillor Gignac.

Talk about pure co-incidence. While the accident was clearly unfortunate, the timing could not have been better if one had to happen at all. The incident took place on June 15. The Michigan House and Senate Resolutions supporting the DRTP rail tunnel were adopted on June 18.

Council Gignac wants to invite DRTP to make a presentation at Council about their rail tunnel, which I assume that she will favour, along with the other Councillors, provided that DRTP confirm that the truck expressway is dead.

I wonder if they will let Mike Hurst speak longer than 10 minutes. If they do, the Bridge Co. should scream "discrimination" since that is all the time they were given on their Enhancement Project presentation. How long did Gridlock Sam speak on Greenlink?

Maybe I missed something but haven't we had this debate already and the DRTP proposal was rejected back in December. What startling new information is there that should allow this matter to be reconsidered by Council now?

• "Fearful of the motives of a controversial border proponent, council voted down a request by Coun. Bill Marra to pass a resolution supporting construction of a new high-clearance railway tunnel in Windsor."

This seems to be the same DRTP tactic of doing everything to get the movers and shakers onside first and ignoring the citizens who may be impacted negatively until the very last minute. They tried that with their Truck Expressway and look what happened. Are they so ashamed of their proposal that there is nothing on their website about it other than an "under maintenance" sign?

Is something as significant as a rail tunnel to be decided by our Council after a five or 10 minute presentation by DRTP? Is Council prepared to make a decision without the full involvement of citizens, especially those along the DRTP corridor. Why Councillor Gignac said before:

• "Coun. Jo-Anne Gignac also voted against Marra's request, saying there had been no consultation with residents...
  
  "Over four years we have moved carefully in consultation with residents in Windsor to craft a package in terms of their desires on the next border crossing," she said."

The justification for moving forward seems to be what Sam Schwartz wrote in his first report. Councillors take his word as gospel it seems. Frankly, given what Sam has proposed in the past, I personally am not prepared to accept very much of what he has to say with respect to a border solution.

Let's see what he did that we should accept his reasoning as Councillors seem to want to do so readily.

He did do a PowerPoint slide on a double stacked rail tunnel which was in the context of what DRTP was proposing for both rail and truck.

In another slide, he had one line about it, showing it as a fast track element.

To be fair, he did write about it. Here is what Sam said about DRTP's rail Tunnel:

• "Improve Rail Infrastructure
  
  The City of Windsor is the nexus of a half-dozen rail lines (CPR. CN, VIA, ETR, NS and CSXT) scattered throughout the city. We understand that there is an effort underway to rationalize these lines and integrate them within the fabric of the transport systems of Windsor and Ontario. These elements include:
  
  • Combining rail operations into a single corridor
  • A multi-modal (air, rail and truck) terminal at Windsor Airport
  • A new high clearance rail tunnel, under the Detroit River, capable of accepting double-stacked trailers
  • A new train station for passengers
  • Possibility of integration with a high speed rail corridor extending from Windsor
  to Quebec City (via use of existing rail tubes)
  
  We strongly support the rail improvement program elements and urge that they be acted
  upon without delay."

Now that is a thorough analysis of the situation! NOT.

I understand that a rail rationalization report is supposed to be coming out shortly. Why would anyone do anything until after that report has been presented and thoroughly digested. There's also an impact that the rail tunnel will have on the other side of the river as well that needs consideration.

Someone is in an awfully big hurry to push this through Council don't you think! Why?