(The following article by Rebecca Cruse was posted on the Pierre Capital Journal website on September 14.)
FORT PIERRE, S.D. — Concerns about the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad’s plans for expansion and upgrades, resulting in a large number of coal trains traveling through the cities of Pierre and Fort Pierre at high speeds every day are not limited to business owners and residents who fear disruptions.
According to Stanley County School Board members and administration, the project would cause some major safety issues for students at the school because of its close proximity to the train tracks.
The issue was discussed at Monday night’s school board meeting when new district superintendent Brad Caldwell asked the board to delegate a member to serve as a school representative at public meetings or conversations with the DM&E Railroad.
Board members discussed several problems, including worries about safety, health and disruption for students of all ages.
One board member asked if trains currently passing through town can be felt in the classrooms.
“Definitely,” said Caldwell. “I’m not sure about in the other schools, but on the west end of the elementary building, where those two classrooms are, everything shakes and there’s noise.”
Board member John Duffy added that the dust emitted from coal trains could be very unhealthy for children, and the students would inevitably be exposed with more than 30 trains per day going past the school.
“That’s more than one an hour,” said board member Darby Nutter. “So you’ve got to think that they’re going to be coming by here pretty fast.”
Middle school teacher Shirley Swanson spoke up saying, “I know that we’re going to lose kids if this happens and the crossings stay the way they are. You know how kids are; they’ll come up to the tracks, see the train coming and try to hurry to beat it. They do it now and they’ll keep on doing it, and someone will get hurt or killed.”
“It’s not just them. A lot of adults do that too,” Nutter said. “I do that myself.”
The board discussed the idea of speaking with other school districts that may be facing the same problems with the DM&E project, but made no solid commitment toward that idea.
Board members Nutter and Mork Norman agreed to act as a committee that will follow the project closely and communicate information between the school district and DM&E Railroad.
Duffy and board president Sonny Harrowa will serve on a committee addressing issues with the state Department of Transportation, which could include plans for safety upgrades to the railroad crossings in the city, but will focus first on safety issues with the planned U.S. Highway 83 project, which also runs past the school.
The highway project came up as a result of reports from last week’s city council meeting, in which the city’s director of public works, Brad Lawrence, discussed a meeting he had attended with DOT representatives.
“The DOT is holding regular meetings and discussing our school zone without any school representation,” said Harrowa. “There are just as many safety issues there.