Comment EI-4843
Received or sent (printed as 1/31/2008)
After reading Congresswoman Melissa Bean's, 8th District of IL, comments that were sent to me, I am as a citizen of the mid-west and railroad worker (CSXT) here in West Michigan, inspired to comment on this CN/EJ&E deal. This transaction has both negatives & positives as all deals have, but the positives far outweigh the negatives for all of us! I explained to my relatives & friends in Illinois how the STB worked on these transactions & how Bean's article had an element of truth but was mainly 1/2 truths because the CN would be required to upgrade their new EJ&E line in order to operate trains at the speed they normally operate compared to the old style of EJ&E slow-drag" operation. While the "J" only ran a couple of trains on this belt-line, they operated long slow drags that took a long time to clear critical crossings such as in Lake Zurich, IL. The CN on the other hand operate more frequent, but faster trains so that crossings are not as heavily impacted. I suspect that Melissa Bean is "cowtowing" to the well-to-do constituents that live in her district; a type of "not in my back yard you won't" attitude. You think???? As stewards of this earth, we need to utilize this belt-line to get traffic which, otherwise, would be handled by less efficent trucks causing increased traffic & air pollution in the north & western Chicago area, to the destinations on the south & east side of Chicagoland area! Also, there is the possibility of this line positively impacting the states of Michigan, Indiana, & Ohio, by allowing bulk commodities to possibly operate via. CSXT through Michigan via. CSXT's Grand Rapids line into Canada while allowing the faster freight on CN (ex-GTW)through Battle Creek to operate over thier own lines, therefore balancing the traffic and eleminating congestion on all rail lines let alone keeping freight on the energy efficient/less polluting rail lines rather then the already congested interstates in and around the entire Chicagoland area! Please in the name of stewardship, put your stamp of approval on this transaction with the only stipulation being possibly getting a required statement of understanding from CN that trains would operate of no more then "x" number of car lenths and at a normal "x" rate of speed depending on your EIS. Thank you for allowing me via. this avenue of comment to let you know my feelings. I have worked for CSXT since 06/1978 in both contract (trainman-locomotive engineer) and non-contract (Loco. Engineer Training Instructor, RFofE, Terminal Trainmaster) capacities in the states of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, & Pennsylvania. Sincerely submitted, Myron Wernette, CSXT Hudsonville, Michigan"
Submitted by: Myron Wernette
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-4843 · back to the docket sheet