In Canada, no part of a train or engine may stand on any part of a public crossing for longer than five minutes when vehicular or pedestrian traffic requires passage. However, this does not apply to private crossings. When emergency vehicles require passage, railways must clear both public and private crossings as quickly as possible.

While CN makes every effort not to block crossings, there are unforeseen instances such as weather, mechanical failure or loss of air pressure that can cause a train to stop, which may result in a blocked crossing. CN crews are aware when a train is blocking a road crossing and make every effort to clear the passage as soon as possible.

In case of emergency, motorists are encouraged to contact the CN Police Service emergency number – 1-800-465-9239 – which is posted at every public crossing on our network. In addition to the phone number, the sign includes the CN subdivision name and mileage point. This information may be used by emergency responders as well as the public to report an emergency. This phone number is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For further rules surrounding blocked crossings, please visit the Transport Canada website (www.tc.gc.ca) where this information can be found under the Rail heading.

Click here to learn more about crossings and crossing safety.

We recognize the importance of maintaining the condition of all crossings for which we are responsible and inspect our public crossings on a regular basis. Should you have any concerns about the condition of a particular crossing, please call 1-800-465-9239 OPTION 2 or email Public Inquiries. CN also works in partnership with road authorities to maintain crossings and brings to their attention those crossings that require maintenance for which they are responsible.

Click here to learn more about crossings and crossing safety.

While we understand that whistling may be disturbing at times, federal regulations in the US and Canada mandate whistling at all public crossings. Train whistles are safety devices that alert motorists and pedestrians to the presence of an approaching train and warn trespassers away from the rail right-of-way. Locomotive engineers follow a detailed set of instructions that outline when a whistle must be sounded and the whistling sequence to be used. Train crews will also use the whistle if there is a work project in the area to notify the work gang on or near the track that a train is approaching.

In certain circumstances, a particular crossing may be exempt from whistling requirements. In order to obtain this exemption, a municipality must take a number of steps:

1) The municipality needs to submit a request to the railway including a detailed crossing safety assessment on the conditions at the crossing by a qualified external consultant.

2) If it is determined that safety will not be compromised and that the crossing meets the prescribed conditions of Transport Canada, the municipality must then give public notice and notify each relevant association of its intent to pass a resolution declaring that it agrees that whistles should not be used at the crossing.

3) Finally, the municipality must pass the resolution.

In Canada, the complete application procedure to pursue anti-whistling measures can be found on the Transport Canada website (www.tc.gc.ca) under Rail Safety. In the United States, further information on the process surrounding the establishment of Quiet Zones can be found on the Federal Railroad Administration website at: www.fra.dot.gov.

CN crews are trained on fuel conservation practices to reduce our carbon footprint, including locomotive shutdowns in our yards. However, locomotives may need to be left idling due to various operating requirements such as weather and maintaining air pressure for braking and starting systems. Where possible, many CN locomotives make use of SmartStart technology, which is an Automatic Engine Start Stop system for locomotives. Over half of the locomotives in our active fleet are equipped with SmartStart technology. This system automatically triggers the locomotive to either safely shut down or restart when certain parameters have been met.

CN makes every effort to maintain our property and is committed to business practices that protect the natural environment, prevent pollution, reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and conserve natural resources. Waste management is important to us and we are addressing this issue with two key initiatives: removing old rail ties from our rights-of-way and establishing an aggressive waste reduction program for our buildings and yards.

Should you have concerns regarding property maintenance, please call us at 1-888-888-5909 or email Public Inquiries. A member of the team will communicate your concerns to our Engineering personnel.