Comment EI-11126
Received or sent (printed as 9/10/2008)
Dear Ms. Rutson, In regard to the purchase of the railroad by CN, I cannot stress enough how devastating that would be for communities up and down the railway. But with the adage speak for yourself in mind, that's what I'll do. My point of view is as a parent, employee, and resident. As a parent, I know that the increased rail traffic poses an increased hazard to my children as they cross the tracks on school buses, practice sports on fields near the tracks, (I've had to reign in more than one youngster who was wandering toward the tracks,) or travel on their own by foot, bike or car through already busy intersections. These are worries by all parents, of coarse, but as our communies in this area grow, and make no mistake, they are growing, the last thing we need to do is put our growing number of children in a growing amount of potential danger. As an employee, the traffic already is well, it's traffic, and it's never fun. But to throw in increased stopping for more trains is only going to make things worse for everyone. (That's a selfish reason, but it's still true.) As a community member, I am probably most concerned. Someday, my children will grow, and they'll look out for themselves. And I can leave earlier for work and sit anxiously watching 100 railcars go by, I'll get there eventually. But my community will suffer. Other children will be put in danger. Quality of life will be affected by nice people growing tired of constant train whistles, and choosing to live somewhere a bit quieter, a bit safer, and with a bit less traffic. They'll be looking for a place like we are right now. I recognize that change is inevitable, and I recognize that this letter is full of emotion and opinion instead of facts, and figures, but I bet if you asked the folks who currently live near a busy CN used railway today what their preference would be, I'm sure that they'd be jumping at the chance to move the rail congestion out of their town. I don't disagree with them. I just ask that you don't move it out of one community to put it in another.
Submitted by: Amy Brozak · AURORA, Il
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-11126 · back to the docket sheet