Canadian Railroads > New protest blockade in Vancouver

A new protest blocking a railway line in Vancouver has started, on the first day of a three-day long weekend. The site is Renfrew Street crossing, about two miles east of Pacific Central Station.  Aside from VIA and Amtrak services, this line is used for CN marine intermodals to and from the south side of the port (three trains daily in each direction) and very infrequent BNSF local freight moves.

The story notes that Amtrak's Train 516 from Seattle was turned back to Bellingham so that passengers could detrain and then be bused to Vancouver. It had already made it as far as BNSF Brownsville in Surrey, roughly 14 miles to the east. Presumably, this long detour was necessitated by the need to clear Canadian customs and immigration.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/wet-suwet-en-supporters-block-cn-railway-in-east-vancouver-1.5465526

Latest statement from CN CEO J.J. Ruest,

“In Vaughan, protesters put their personal safety at risk by climbing on and between railcars."
"The protesters trespassed on active railway tracks and on active trains to hang their banners and take photos of themselves.
Trespassing on railway property and tampering with railway equipment is not only illegal,
but also exceedingly dangerous."

"The illegal blockade of CN tracks at Tyendiaga, ON continues into its 9th day.
To this day, the orders of the court have yet to be enforced and continue to be ignored by protesters.
The shutdown of CN’s Eastern Canadian network will continue until the illegal blockades end,
affecting both freight and passenger trains."

“Unfortunately, service to VIA Rail and Amtrak has been discontinued across Canada.
It is unsafe to allow passenger trains to start trips across our network
when we have no control over where, when, or how an illegal blockade may occur.
It would be irresponsible to allow the travelling public to be trapped in a blockade,” concluded Ruest.

https://www.cn.ca/en/news/2020/02/new-illegal-blockades-in-vaughan-and-vancouver-cn-concerned-abou/