Comment EI-11119
Received or sent (printed as 9/10/2008)
The Honorable Anne K. Quinlan, Acting Secretary Surface Transportation Board 395 E Street, SW Washington, DC 20423 RE: STB Finance Docket No. 35087 Canadian National Railway Company and Grand Trunk Corporation - Control - EJ & E West Company Dear Ms. Quinlan: I am a resident of the town of Aurora, Illinois through which the EJ & E rail line extends. I wish to state my strong objection to the proposed purchase of the EJ & E West Company by the Canadian National Railway. I purchased my home almost 8 years ago. I thoroughly researched the location we chose and was aware that there were train tracks fairly close to our home. I was also comforted knowing that the number of trains passing through those tracks was minimal. I have spent time sitting at those tracks waiting for a train to pass. Who cares? It's only a few minutes, right? Well, a 130 box train takes about 4 minutes to completely pass so I can be on my way. 4 minutes may not seem like a lot, but when you work full-time, take care of 3 active children, are an active volunteer at the school and churches, you can imagine how busy a day can get. 4 minutes late can throw off a highly functional schedule. And when you talk about adding another 30-40 of these potential delays EVERY.SINGLE.DAY, well that becomes a huge burden. I will be forced to cut back on my volunteer support for our schools, our churches, and any other organization that could desperately use that help. I am not unsympathetic to the people who currently have these trains going through their towns and villages, but you know what, they bought their properties knowing that those trains already existed! They were aware of the issue and made conscious decisions to deal with their existence. What you are proposing with this purchase is an enormous burden on the people of Aurora and the other towns living along the EJ&E lines. What was my husband's first comment when he heard about this situation…Is it time to move?" I'm sure we aren't the only ones who feel that way. This CHANGE will drastically impact the economic viability of the places we live today. This is not a light decision. I stronly hope that you will advise the STB to vote against this proposed purchase."
Submitted by: Barbara Padlo · Private citizen
The Board publishes this comment in its environmental-comment table for this proceeding. It is quoted here as printed; nothing is inferred from it, and it states the commenter's own position in their own words, not this record's.
Permanent address docketyard.org/d/FD-35087/comment/EI-11119 · back to the docket sheet