By Will County Executive Larry Walsh, Will County Board Chairman Jim Moustis and Village of New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann

We applaud the recent news of the Illinois Commerce Commission opposing the EJ&E Railway acquisition by Canadian National (CN) Railway. As the most respected authority on rail issues in Illinois, the ICC clearly understands the direct negative impact it will have on hundreds of thousands of people. While some have decided to give in to this transaction, Will County and the Village of New Lenox continue to vehemently oppose the measure.

Our resistance to the $300 million purchase of nearly 200 miles of track by CN has everything to do with the incredibly negative environmental impact it may have on our citizens. This issue can be spun in many ways to justify the acceptance of such an enormous change in our environment. Some have said we don’t have a legal leg to stand on, but the record of facts and legal proceedings say just the opposite.

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Company must also help fund road bypasses, cameras at crossings

The Canadian National Railway Co. got its wish to buy the EJ&E Railroad, but it’s going to have to pay. In a unanimous decision Wednesday, the federal Surface Transportation Board approved the company’s $300 million purchase of the EJ&E, a 198-mile line that arcs the Chicago area.

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Trains may triple in many suburbs

Federal regulators have given a green light to Canadian National Railway’s plan to divert freight traffic through Chicago’s suburbs, a possible boon for the economy but potentially bad news for many suburban motorists likely to encounter delays at blocked crossings. The U.S. Surface Transportation Board unanimously approved on Wednesday CN’s $300 million purchase of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway. But in response to critics, the board imposed an unprecedented condition: CN must pay tens of millions of dollars to build two overpasses in Aurora and Lynwood.

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New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann is ready to appeal the U.S. Surface Transportation Board’s approval of the Canadian National Railroad’s purchase of the EJ&E tracks.

“I am disappointed that the private interests of a foreign company would take precedent over the impacts on the citizens of this region,” he said Wednesday.

While neighboring communities have made deals with CN to mitigate safety and noise issues, New Lenox sent the railroad a counter-proposal last week seeking “substantial funding” for an overpass at one of its five railroad crossings. Overpasses are estimated to cost between $15 million and $30 million, Baldermann said.

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Federal regulators Wednesday approved Canadian National Railway’s plan to the dismay — but not surprise — of many local officials. Canadian National can now move forward with the $300 million acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway line.

But while local officials are disappointed that CN was not required to pay more to ease the impact on road congestion, the railroad company said it will review the decision in light of additional costs imposed by regulators.

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Canadian National Railway has won federal approval for its controversial purchase of a line that would loop freight trains around Chicago, a bypass that some suburban communities fear will cause massive traffic problems.

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The sale of a train line that will affect rail traffic levels throughout the Chicago region got the final green light from federal regulators Wednesday - but suburban opponents vow to keep fighting it.

The U.S. Surface Transportation Board unanimously approved the acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway line - which runs in an arc through around Chicago, from Waukegan to Gary, Ind. - by the Canadian National Railway Co.

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A U.S. regulator has approved Canadian National Railway Co.’s (TSX:CNR) controversial takeover of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway, which would allow the railway’s freight traffic to bypass the congested Chicago area.

The U.S. Surface Transportation Board said Wednesday its approval is subject to a number of conditions, which include a five-year period of formal oversight, as well as a requirement that CN cover most of the cost of two projects to separate highway and rail traffic.

“Approval of this important railroad merger, with the conditions we have imposed, marks a significant step forward in our nation’s efforts to alleviate rail and highway congestion,” stated Surface Transportation Board chairman Charles Nottingham.

CN is set to take ownership of EJ&E on Jan. 23, he added.

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Southwest suburban Mokena has become the ninth area town to make a deal and drop its opposition to Canadian National Railway’s proposed acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway.  Trustees on Monday signed off on an agreement with the CN, which pledged to address quality-of-life issues resulting from increased freight traffic in town.

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Requests fully funded quiet zones; money for overpasses

New Lenox sent a counteroffer to Canadian National Railway less than a week after village officials agreed not to accept the rail company’s mitigation plan over the proposed purchase of the EJ&E Railroad, Mayor Tim Baldermann said.

The village’s counteroffer, which was submitted Friday, Dec. 19, asks Canadian National [CN] to fully fund quiet zones and equipment that would allow emergency responders to know which of the village’s five crossings are blocked. The village is also asking CN to contribute funds to pay for overpasses or underpasses to alleviate some of the traffic delays expected if the rail line does increase the number of freight trains in New Lenox from six per day to 30.

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