New Lenox Rail Sense

December 9, 2008 / BY SUSAN DEMAR LAFFERTY / Southtown Star

Railroad official says problems are common, don’t warrant action

New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann literally tried to drive home the point that the Canadian National Railway will divide his growing village in half with its proposed increase in freight traffic.  If New Lenox doesn’t get a rail overpass, “we’ve got problems,” Baldermann told Mike Mohan when he took the CN vice president on a road trip Monday morning.

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July 26, 2008 / By Dan Campana / Plainfield Sun

The expensive proposition of separating roads from rail crossings is the likely way to combat “a substantial increase” in freight train traffic from the Canadian National Railway’s purchase of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern rail line, a federal report released Friday states. But it would appear to fall to government, not the railroad to bear most of that cost, according to the report by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board.

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June 25, 2008 / by Susan DeMar Lafferty / Lincoln-Way Sun

TRAC’s engine appears to be gaining steam.

Frankfort and New Lenox have officially jumped on board, each agreeing to put $10,000 into this regional cause to fight the Canadian National Railroad’s acquisition of the EJ&E Railroad tracks in their communities.

The Regional Answer to Canadian National, TRAC, opposes the purchase, which would dramatically increase the amount of freight and hazardous materials through the area, and tie up key crossings.

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April 21, 2008 / By Susan DeMar Lafferty / Chicago Sun-Times news

As the municipal Davids continue to tackle the Goliath Canadian National Railroad, they are rallying troops and gathering ammunition.

Frankfort, Mokena and New Lenox, initially got together with other Will County communities to discuss the environmental impacts that increased freight trains would cause if the CN is allowed to acquire the EJ&E tracks in this area. They have now been invited to join with towns throughout DuPage, Lake County and Lake County, Indiana, to form a coalition dubbed TRAC–The Regional Answer to Canadian National.

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March 26, 2008 / By Patrick Ferrell Staff Writer / Joliet Herald News

NEW LENOX — The village board on Monday authorized yet another study aimed at fighting Canadian National’s proposed purchase of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway.

Trustees approved a $7,000 contract with Hoffman Estates-based Metro Transportation Group to develop traffic projection for 2030 on five key north-south roads that intersect with the EJ&E tracks.

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