The city manager says there aren’t any major issues at rail yards in Kamloops from blockades that protesters have set up in other places.

David Trawin says the city has heard from both CN and CP in the past week.

“From a city implication, nothing has changed much,” Trawin says.

“We have noticed that trains have gotten longer and more numerous over the last three or four years, but that’s been consistent… But I don’t think things have marginally changed with any of the recent updates.”

Protesters supporting five Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs, who are against the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline project, are set up along train tracks in New Hazelton, blocking access to the port in Prince Rupert, and are also set up at locations in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and southern Ontario.

Both CN and CP are impacted not only by the blockades but also by a federal order to lower the speed limit on trains with hazardous goods.

The 30-day order was put in place on Feb. 7 because of a major train derailment in Saskatchewan earlier this month that spilled 1.2 million litres of oil. It means

“Other than people may see trains, certain trains, going a little bit slower than normal, which may mean a little bit longer wait at crossings.”

Trawin also says he hasn’t heard from CN Rail in particular about a washout under part of its line in the Fraser Canyon, which happened on Feb. 1. The rail company told NL News it is working “around the clock” to address the issue but has declined to comment further.

Kamloops and Winnipeg are the only cities in Canada with both CN and CP rail lines.