New Lenox Rail Sense

Railway says traffic shift would help area

February 29, 2008 / By Richard Wronski / Chicago Tribune

The Canadian National Railway’s plan to divert freight traffic around Chicago’s congested rail corridor will have a negative impact on many communities and could jeopardize Amtrak and expanded Metra service, Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Melissa Bean warned.

The Illinois Democrats blasted the railroad in a letter Thursday for failing to show “a willingness to meet the needs of the communities” where dozens of freight trains a day will be shifted in order to bypass clogged rail lines in the city.

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Get the latest information about the impact on New Lenox…

New Lenox will hold a town meeting on the impacts of increased rail traffic through the community resulting from the pending acquisition of the EJ&E Railway by the Canadian National Railway.  Public comment and questions are encouraged.

UPDATE: View a report on the meeting, along with photos and the slide show

Saturday, March 1, 2008
10:30 a.m.
Village Hall (1 Veterans Parkway, New Lenox, Ill.)

The meeting will include an informational slide show and a question-and-answer session. Expected speakers include:

• Tim Baldermann, Mayor
• Russ Loebe, Village Manager
• Village legal staff

Illinois State Sen. Christine Radogno and State Rep. Renee Kosel are expected to be in attendance.

Any individual requiring special accommodations as specified by the Americans with Disabilities Act is requested to notify the Village of New Lenox - ADA Compliance Coordinator at (815) 485-6452 at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting date. For more information visit: http://www.newlenox.net/.

Village trustees have also adopted an action plan.

February 26, 2008 / Northwest Herald

The planned purchase of the EJ&E Railroad has caused consternation throughout much of the suburbs.

Canadian National Railway in September plans announced to buy the railroad from U.S. Steel for $300 million. The purchase would mean that some communities in the suburbs would see fewer freight trains every day, but others would see many more trains.

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February 25, 2008 / Bruce Sauer / Chicago Tribune

This is in response to “Crossings could be component of rail deal; Canadian National chief says company will share costs if EJ&E line sale Okd” (Metro, Feb. 13). The article quoted Canadian National President E. Hunter Harrison as willing to pay the company’s “fair share” of mitigation expenses.

What exactly does that mean?

If this acquisition is approved, it will have a detrimental impact on dozens of communities, including increased congestion, negative environmental impacts, decrease in property values, loss of business and, most important, it will jeopardize public safety.

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February 25, 2008 / By JANET LUNDQUIST / Herald News Staff Writer

PLAINFIELD — The village has joined a growing list of communities speaking up about the possible Canadian National Railway purchase of the Elgin Joliet and Eastern rail line.

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February 22, 2008 / By REGAN FOSTER / Northwest Herald

SCHAUMBURG - A pending $300 million rail purchase that could increase the number of freight trains running along lightly used suburban lines has both winners and losers, Sen. Richard Durbin said Thursday.

Unfortunately, the senior senator from Illinois added, many of those who stand to lose the most live in the north and northwest suburbs.

Durbin and Rep. Melissa Bean met with suburban leaders Thursday to hear their thoughts on, among other topics, Canadian National’s pending purchase of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railroad.

“This is a complicated proposal,” Durbin said. “We’ve got to work this thing out, not just jump on it.”

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February 18, 2008 / By Bob Tita / Crain’s Chicago Business

E. Hunter Harrison thought he’d be cheered for breaking Chicago’s railroad bottleneck. Instead, the CEO of Canadian National Railway Co. is under attack.

Frustrated by the slow-moving and convoluted routes his trains are forced to take to traverse the region, Mr. Harrison struck a deal last fall to purchase the only available bypass on the periphery of Chicago’s railroad network: the little-used Elgin Joliet & Eastern Railway. Diverting Canadian National trains to the route would free up rail capacity elsewhere in the region, he says, allowing other freight railroads to operate faster and creating shorter waits for motorists at street crossings.

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Bean, Sullivan join objectors at hearing before Surface Transportation Board

February 12, 2008 / By DAN MORAN

LAKE ZURICH - Public opposition to the proposed Canadian National Railway purchase of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern line went into overtime Monday night as area residents lined up at Lake Zurich High School to pitch their cases to the federal government.

Though official public comment on the proposed sale was scheduled to end on Feb. 1, the deadline was pushed back to Feb. 15, giving both individuals and municipalities a chance to file their input with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Surface Transportation Board.

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February 7, 2008 / By TONY A. SOLANO, Staff Writer

While Barrington area leaders didn’t testify at the Illinois General Assembly’s Railroad Safety Committee hearing at the Thompson Center, they had a chance to air their views about Canadian National Railway’s proposed purchase of the EJ&E railroad.

Barrington Village President Karen Darch, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Communications Director Mike Deering, School District 220 Superintendent Tom Leonard and Barrington Fire Chief Jim Arie told a press conference prior to last week’s hearing that increased freight train traffic on the railroad would cause emergency response and safety problems for residents and the 9,000-plus students attending Community Unit School District 220 schools. About 30 people from Barrington attended the hearing and the press conference.

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February 6, 2008 / By Susan DeMar Lafferty / SUN-TIMES NEWS GROUP

MOKENA - If Canadian National is allowed to acquire the EJ&E Railroad tracks, Mokena wants to place some restrictions on the proposed sale.

Trustees unanimously passed a resolution at Monday’s board meeting detailing how they want CN to mitigate the negative impacts of its additional freight trains and pay for it.

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