Comment EI-14091
Received or sent (printed as 9/30/2008)
DATE: September 30, 2008 REFERENCE: STB Finance Docket No. 35087 FROM: Roger Hancock 2548 Imperial Valley Trail Aurora, IL 60503 SUBJECT: Sale of EJ&E Rail Line to CN Railroad Gentlemen: The EJ&E rail lines pass near my property. Presently, there are a number of at-grade crossings and the current volume of rail freight is sufficient to snarl traffic at rush hour. I have personally waited for almost a half-hour while one long train moved slowly onto a nearby siding at slow speed (there have been other lengthy waits, as well - the two or three minute delays cited by rail supporters if often not the case). To increase rail volume as proposed by Canadian National (CN) without removing the at-grade crossings will bring a heavy cost to our communities in the form of blocked access to emergency services, increases in commuting time, loss in property values, etc. and general diminution of our quality of life. Our communities should not have to subsidize the rail company on top of paying the other costs listed above. CN must remove at-grade crossings at the major roadways BEFORE proceeding with its intended increase in rail volume through our communities. They are the ones who are going to profit from this increase in freight volume, they should be the ones to bear the major costs of these over/under passes. CN (a Canadian Company) should also be made liable for any maintenance lapses which lead to derailments in our areas. My alderman has seen a series of incidents and accidents which seem to indicate a CN management concern for profits over maintenance and safety. I hope that this is not the case, but financial liabilities must be imposed beforehand to ensure that CN does pay attention to rail maintenance and safety. Although I support movement of freight by rail, I do not support the major disruption of our communities by this increase in rail traffic volume. As long as the at-grade crossings remain, I am FIRMLY opposed to the sale of the EJ&E rail lines to CN.
Submitted by: Roger Hancock · Aurora, Illinois
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-14091 · back to the docket sheet