Comment EI-4000
Received or sent (printed as 1/23/2008)
I'm opposed to the purchase of the EJ&E by CN. The obvious reasons are many. In the attached Google Earth photo it shows the rail cross over near West Chicago. This photo shows that the EJ&E line is totally blocked and traffic backed up in both directions. In addition to the 133 at grade crossings there are at least 12 of these rail crossovers on the EJ&E line. How will CN solve this problem? Rerouting the CN railroad traffic from downtown Chicago in preparation for the 2016 Olympics will provide a small benefit to Chicago's south side revitalization program, but at the enormous expense of the surrounding suburbs. CEO E. Hunter Harrision has done significant work for his company, maybe now he should use his talents to improve the flow of railroad traffic through the existing downtown Chicago corridor. Most if not all trains within the city limits have bridges and viaducts that do not impact the flow of automobile traffic. The opposite is true in the surrounding suburbs. CN is in the process of constructing a major ship / rail terminal in Prince Rupert, Canada. This is to compete with many of our U.S. ports receiving products from China. It's been stated that the EJ&E purchase will improve the amount of time it take to get China's products into the mid west. I really don't care if it takes a couple of extra hours to get toys with lead paint, or tooth paste also containing lead to our markets. Our economy is on the verge of recession, which our government is trying desperately to avoid. The continued assault on the middle class with the out sourcing of jobs eventually has to take its toll. Lastly, I don't see how it's in the best interest of United States to have a foreign government own a major portion of our railroad system.
Submitted by: William G. Beckman · Elgin, 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-4000
File docketyard.org/document/2d16e18f8d650a61dd056d8a03798c4108b11c11e81518b4451af36e55f4d676.jpg · back to the docket sheet