Shoo, choo choo!

A resolution by Dorval council is asking all Canadian National and Canadian Pacific freight trains to slow down when they pass through the city's limits in the evening and night, but the latter company has already made clear it has no intention to follow suit with the demand.

"It will just lead to congestions of all types," said CP spokesperson Michel Spénard, adding many of the complaints from the resolution seem to be coming from guests at a hotel near the train tracks in Dorval, not permanent residents.

The resolution, however, asks for the reduction of train speeds to "allow the sound impacts to be tolerable to residents and the hotel clientele around the area."

Dorval Mayor Edgar Rouleau told The Chronicle many complaints have been received by city hall regarding the noise made by freight trains. "We're getting more and more comments and complaints from our citizens," he said.

"The freight trains are getting longer and larger," Rouleau said, adding they have a speed limit in Westmount, Montreal and Côte St. Catherine. "When they get to Lachine, they start speeding up," he said.

Copies of the resolution were also sent to Lachine-NDG Liberal incumbent MP Marlene Jennings, neighbouring West Island towns, and the Montreal agglomeration council, which Rouleau hopes will step in to support citizens.

"We don't have any other complaints that have come in from Dorval at all," Spénard said. He added some Lachine residents have called CP with the same problem, however.

Beaconsfield Mayor Bob Benedetti said he was surprised to hear about the complaints in Dorval. "We haven't had too many comments," he said.

As for Pointe Claire, Mayor Bill McMurchie would not comment on whether or not the city has received complaints from citizens, but he said he could not see council endorsing the resolution by neighbouring Dorval. "We are extremely selective of signing petitions or endorsing resolutions of other municipalities," he said.

McMurchie added trains will likely be a part of Pointe Claire for a very long time. "Until they are running electronically, there will always be noise," he said.

Canadian National representatives did not respond to The Chronicle as of press time, despite repeated attempts to reach them.

Chronicle, Raffy Boudjikanian