Group looking for a way to save Cape Breton rail line

About 350 people turned out on Sunday to discusssaving the Cape Breton portion of the Truro-to-Sydney rail line.

TheScotia Rail Development Society is trying to stop the railway's owner from tearing up the tracks.

John Malcom, theretired CEO of the Cape Breton District Health Authority,chaired the meeting.In an interview with CBC Cape Breton's Information Morning, Malcomsaid the group wants a number of questions answeredbefore April 1. That's when the railway's owner, Genosee Wyoming, plans to apply to abandon the line.

The groupsays the rail line should stay intactbecause there's too much at stake in terms of future developmentthat would require rail transportation, such as Donkin Coal and possible new business at a commercialized Port of Sydney.

"Do we want to see 30,000 trucks on the road carrying coal?"Malcom said."How does that fit in with our Paris commitmentsto reduce greenhouse gases when we know that rail is one-quarter as polluting as trucks?"

He added thatit's essential that the trackbe saved to take advantage of what might happen at the port.Malcompoints to a meeting that CBRM Mayor Cecil Clarke has called for March 12 about the future of the rail line.

The public is getting behind the project in a big way, he said. As of Sunday more than 11,500 Cape Bretoners had signed the group's petition demanding that the rail line be saved.