Environmentalists echo concerns over CP training program

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A program at CP Rail that sees non-unionized managers trained to be replacement locomotive engineers and conductors is raising concerns for an environmentalist.

We’ve spoken with a coordinator for Greenpeace in this News1130 follow-up to a story we brought you yesterday.

Keith Stewart calls the program “penny-wise and pound foolish.”

He says trains are carrying increasing amounts of explosive material — and it seems this could increase the risk of possible disaster.

“When you look at the possible ramifications of something going wrong, you want to make sure the people who are driving those trains are you know, really well trained for that job, and are entirely focused on what they’re doing,” Stewart says.

He adds, “and I think you know when you have a manager subbing in for an engineer, I mean the reason you’re doing that is to try and get someone doing double duty and keep your costs down.”

Stewart says his own home is half a block away from a rail crossing in Toronto.

“Growing up, my grandfather was a railroad engineer, it was a big part of our family history. I used to love being near the rail line and watching the trains go by, but when I see those oil trains running by, I just think about what could happen.”

We told you yesterday about the concerns of the union that represents locomotive engineers and conductors at CP Rail.

The union’s vice-president believes training for the managers isn’t quite up to the same standard as training for the unionized employees.

CP Rail says the standards it uses for training managers are identical to what is in place for unionized employees, adding no one gets certified under the program until they achieve all the necessary requirements.