DAVENPORT, Iowa -- The relationship between Canadian Pacific Railways and the city of Davenport appears to be back on track after weeks of confusion surrounding the railroad's decision to raise the downtown tracks. The project left Modern Woodmen Park totally inaccessible as long as the trains continue to run.
"We're excited about it because I have their personal business cards with their cellphones directly," said Davenport Mayor Frank Klipsch.
He said city officials had concerns about the tracks, and received complaints from the public. And until now, the railroad hadn't offered them many answers. Senior railroad officials came to the mayor's office on Thursday to explain what they were doing and promise a better line of communication.
"Now that we've seen what we can do here we are making plans with the City of Davenport for a long for a long-term plan so we will all be on the same page moving forward with the crossings through the city," said CP Senior Vice President of Operations for CP Rail Tony Marquis.
Bright yellow tamping machines could be seen Friday creeping along the tracks near Modern Woodmen Park, pounding powerful metal fingers into the ground and lifting the tracks inch by inch.
Even Mayor Klipsch was impressed by the effort.
"Where they put the rock down, lift up the tracks, it goes through, they pound it to put it down and pack it -- pretty amazing," he said.
Some of the crossings will need major re-construction when the project to raise the tracks is done. The mayor said CP has promised millions of dollars in improvements, but no quick fix to get the River Bandits back into the ballpark.
