SoapBox - Local West Chicago Blog Comments

Gene Rennels: Position Opposing Railway Acquistion

nospam@example.com (Gene Rennels) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:29:28 -0400

The Surface Transporation Board, like so many other quasi public agencies, does not serve the general public. They serve the transporatation industry. There are only 2 points they will condiser; environmental impact and safety. Unfortunately, there will not be a sufficient outpouring of public outrage to sway their thinking. I say that with reservatiion: all things political, and be assured this is political, can be altered by sufficient vocal electors. The rational of reducing congestion within the area closest to Chicago has been voiced by the CN and those that support that position. Let's face political reality: Chicago desperately wants the Olympic Games. Heavy rail traffic in and around the city will negatively impact that desire. The mayor of Chicago wants the Olympics and if moving rail traffic away from the city and onto the J means a roadblock is removed you can rest assured that he will pull every political string possible to assist the CN moving to the J. Congressman Foster has been overly quiet (and probably doesn't know or care that his district is impacted) has the word been passed to stay silent and let Sen. Durbin mouth objections, which are all vocal and not action.
Those who live along the route of the J can prevail but we must recognize political reality and act accordingly.

Tim Sasse: Position Opposing Railway Acquistion

nospam@example.com (Tim Sasse) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:37:28 -0400

I am a West Chicago resident and also a bit of a railfan.

What the top poster has written is indeed true. The EJ&E could ratchet up train traffic to 30 or 40 trains per day through West Chicago without having to get anybody's permission. They could enter a simple haulage agreement with CN and woila 20 more trains with no government permission or say so. The only reason that there is any decision to be made is due to CN purchasing outright the EJ&E's trackage.

That being said--as a West Chicago resident who drives over the EJ&E and UP trackage several times per day, there is a definite need for environmental mitigation should CN buy the EJ&E. At least 1 overpass is needed in the Washington Street area as there would be no alternative outside of sitting and waiting due to the neares under/overpasses on the EJ&E being at Rte 38 and North Ave.

CN also has some very good points in its argument. There is definitely an infrastructure crisis in this nation effecting all modes of transportation rail, highway and air alike. Freight takes longer to go through Chicago via rail than it takes to get from LA to Chicago. Yes, there is the CREATE program which is intended to 'fix' the railroad tie-ups in Chicago, but it is dependent on federal and state funding, therefore God only knows when something substantial is going to happen. There are all kinds of nice plans and drawings, but no significant action has been taken. I do not blame CN for seeking a private solution to a very legitimate problem.

CN, however needs to sit down and address local residents and put up some real cash towards the mitigations needed for this to procede however.

Tim S

Don Earley: Position Opposing Railway Acquistion

nospam@example.com (Don Earley) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:39:32 -0400

Since this is a federal board that will be deciding the sale of the EJ&E RR to the Canadian National RR, then we must put pressure on the Representatives of the Federal Governmental namely the Congressmen and Senators that represent our community. Some of them have stepped forward, such as Senator Durban, Obama, Congressman Roskam and Congresswoman Biggert, for that we are thankful for the support they have given. But the one person who has never attended a TRAC meeting or sent a representative to the meeting is Congressman Foster. He seems not to know where West Chicago and Wayne are located. He represents himself as our congressman.

We need help, if we are going to keep the west side of our community safe and not have our already stressed environment depleted more. The noise and the fumes that will occur when we have mile long trains passing through town will detract from our quality of life. We are concerned about the extra 10 to 24 trains a day and the increase in tonnage, does this better our community? I think not!

R. Lemon: Position Opposing Railway Acquistion

nospam@example.com (R. Lemon) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:08:27 -0400

This opposition to the sale of the EJ&E conjoins two topics which should, and I predict will, be treated separately... ownership and traffic. The EJ&E owns a right of way and are allowed thereby to run trains across it, constained, I understand, only by the fact that, being predated by the Chicago Northwester (No part of UP), they cannot interfere with traffic on the West Line. If the EJ&E had sufficient traffic and wanted to run 30, 40, 50 trains per day on that route, they could. They can also rent the use of such to trains from the CNN or any other railroad, and do, using EJ&E crews and equipment or the other rail road's.
That's why I have seen Messabi Range locomotives at that diamond. Even if you block the sale, when the CNN finds it economically advantageous, they will put more trains on that route, whether it is theirs or not. I suspect that the good will of the EJ&E is a more valuable asset to its neighbors than the posing and posturing of pandering pols whose last ride on a train was a carnival circle at age 3.

Becky Hall: New Initiatives for 2008 -2009

nospam@example.com (Becky Hall) — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:11:58 -0400

Community High School is looking at two new initiatives for the 2008-2009 school year, one of which will be discussed at the School Board Meeting on this coming Tuesday, at 7:00 p.m. This one reduces the number of instructional hours the students receive by having "late start Mondays" every week of the school year. The way that the time will be used is described in a letter from Principal Cheng, and is potentially very beneficial. But this is a significant change and should be of concern not only to the students and parents, but also to the taxpayers, as there may be additional costs due to changes in transportation, etc.

Principal Cheng's letter can be read by clicking "**New Initiatives for 2008-2009" on the home page for the high school, at http://www.d94.org/index.htm .