Interesting to hear that CP could connect with "KCS at junction points near Chicago," when the closest they come is Springfield, IL:
[www.kcsouthern.com][1].pdf

As for CP connecting to east coast points via CN or any other railroad, the same could be done by BNSF or UP without having to speed millions to upgrade existing infrastructure. As for Great Lakes access, BNSF and UP have that too, so CP/DM&E would still just be getting the crumbs, hardly enough to justify construction. As for access to "east coast distribution points," CP doesn't do that very well:
[www8.cpr.ca]
Getting to many places in New York and Pennsylvania via trackage rights over the former Erie Lackawanna Southern Tier route is a voyage in circuity. And speaking of circuity, Powder River Basin coal (to anywhere?) via Mexico (and, presumably via Lorenzo Cardenas)? UP or BNSF could move a train to Longview, Washington (the new west coast coal port site) or Roberts Bank, BC in about the time it took CP to move a like train all around the perimeter of Iowa to Kansas City and interchange it with KCS for Mexico.

Blaming entities like the environmentalists, the ranchers, and the Mayo Clinic for the failure of the DM&E expansion is a popular position. Seems like many prefer the role of the victim, rather than to acknowledge the shortcomings of the proposal.