Comment EI-13574
Received or sent (printed as 9/28/2008)
Phillis Johnson-Ball Surface Transportation Board 395 E Street, SW Washington, DC 20423 Ref: STB Finance Docket No. 35087 RE: Canadian National Railway Company and Grand Trunk Corporation-Control— EJ&E West Company (STB Finance Docket No. 35087) Dear Ms. Ball: I would like to voice my concern and opposition to the proposed acquisition of the EJ&E Railroad by Canadian National. According to Resolution 09-R-0007, passed by the City of West Chicago on January 21, 2008, estimates provided by Canadian National indicate that the average number of daily trains that run along the segment of the EJ&E rail line running through West Chicago, north of the Union Pacific tracks, will increase from 4.4 to 24.4 trains per day, and that the gross tons of freight per day that run over that segment will increase from 14,397 tons to 184,969 tons, an increase of 1,185 percent which would be the greatest of all locations along the EJ&E. Canadian National further estimates that the average number of daily trains that run along the segment of the EJ&E rail line that runs through West Chicago, south of the Union Pacific tracks, will increase from 10.7 to 34.5 trains per day with an increase in gross tonnage of 294%. Furthermore, it is believed that Increases in traffic congestion, noise and pollution are not the only by-products of such increases. The projected increase in the volume of train traffic and rail related operations will result in more frequent blockages of the at-grade crossings in West Chicago, negatively impacting emergency vehicular access and resulting in longer emergency response times. It will also present a significantly greater risk of accident at those grade crossings traversed by West Chicago Community High School students walking to and from school. Additionally, it is projected that train lengths will be much longer than current EJ&E train lengths and hazardous materials’ traffic in West Chicago, north of the Union Pacific tracks would increase from the current 21 carloads per year to 265 carloads per year and 31 carloads per year to 301 carloads per year for the line south of the Union Pacific track. Given these staggering statistics, the negative impact to public health, safety and quality of life would be significant. Therefore, I ask you to carefully consider all the ramifications such an acquisition poses and vote against this proposal. Sincerely, Dennis Weaver
Submitted by: Dennis Weaver · Bartlett, 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-13574 · back to the docket sheet