New Lenox Rail Sense

August 27, 2008 / CBS2-WBBM / by Suzanne Le Mignot

BARRINGTON, Ill. (CBS) - There was a packed public hearing in Barrington Wednesday night to discuss plans by the Canadian National Railway to acquire track that runs through dozens of communities in the Chicago area. Many residents are worried about noise, delays and safety.  CBS 2’s Suzanne Le Mignot reports that critics of a plan to increase rail freight traffic through dozens of communities raised their voices in dissent.

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August 26, 2008 / By Richard Wronski and Gary Gibula / Chicago Chicago Tribune /
 
Rail company will pay for various repairs in exchange for support

As a new round of public meetings began Monday on the controversial acquisition of a suburban railroad, Canadian National Railway Co. reported an agreement with one of the towns facing a potentially sharp increase in freight traffic. CN has agreed to pay for track improvements and other updates along the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway through Joliet-a move intended to lessen the impact of additional freight trains at two busy rail crossings.

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August 5, 2008 / By Mike Flannery / CBS2/WBBM-TV

Opponents of a freight train line expansion through the suburbs have taken their fight to Congress. As CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports, critics of the plan say it will bring crippling traffic congestion:

Near North Avenue and Northwest Highway in Barrington, it is quiet along the EJ&E tracks most of the day now. That would change if, as expected, a federal agency soon approves the purchase of the tracks by Canadian-based Canadian National.

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July 25, 2008 / By Richard Wronski / Chicago Tribune [with video]

Federal officials reviewing the impact of the proposed acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway by the Canadian National Railway concluded Friday that the $300 million deal would not affect existing Metra or Amtrak passenger service or proposed Metra expansion in the Chicago area.

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July 25, 2008 / By Ben Bradley / ABC7-WLS [with video]

A preliminary draft has been released on the environmental impact of a plan to run more freight trains through the suburbs. Canadian National Railway says it will allow its trains to avoid congestion in Chicago. But many suburbs strongly oppose the plan.

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 July 23, 2008 / by Theresa Gutierrez / ABC7-WLS Chicago [with video]

A railway plan could spark heated debate at a community meeting Wednesday night [July 23] in Aurora.

The Canadian railway wants to acquire some suburban rail lines so it can run freight trains through the suburbs and avoid rail congestion In Chicago.
Officials from Aurora and Plainfield say the purpose of the meeting is to alert citizens about the proposed Canadian National Railroad acquisition. They have put down more than $300 million to acquire parts of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad train lines. They are looking to buy 198 miles of track that runs in a southwestern loop around Chicago from Waukegan to Gary, Indiana. Many believe it would quadruple the number of trains crossing in Illinois.

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May 13, 2008 / WTTW “Chicago Tonight” / Reported by Rich Samuels

Why are municipalities in five counties (as well as members of the Illinois congressional delegation) at odds over the proposed purchase of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad by the Canadian National?

(TV coverage includes interviews with CN representatives, local spokespeople, Sen. Richard Durbin and transportation experts.)

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