Comment EI-24806
Received or sent (printed as 7/13/2016)
I think the STB needs to explore the gre4at Lakes Basin Railroad using alternative routes. I think in light of the fact Frank Patton, managing partner and founder of the company is so fond of trains, and publically states they are so wonderful, he needs to fully enjoy his vision. This is why I am proposing the alternative route that follows, as it connects, Crete Illinois, Frank Patton's home town with the rest of the world via train. The line would begin in Crete, IL and head South on the existing Union Pacific line or parallel to this line, to Watseka, IL. In Watseka the line would follow the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway line to Peoria. From Peoria the line would follow the BNSF line North and West to Wisconsin. This route would utilize existing lines and would reduce environmental damage in Illinois. The plan to revamp and expand these existing lines, rather than build a new rail line from scratch has many advantages: 1. Significantly less environmental destruction. 2. Significant cost savings due to existing infrastructure and easements being in place. 3. Filed drainage, utility and pipelines have already be re-routed. 4. Little to no loss of Prime Farmland. 5. Existing rivers and waterways, including the Illinois River, have crossings already in place. 6. The STB can conduct a more accurate environmental review as these areas already have trains running through them. Drainage and other issues have already been addressed and problems area already know. For a new line this would all e conjecture. 7. The population in this area is less populated then the GLB proposal. 8. First responders and residents already have plans in place to cross these lines. 9. There will be no need for road closures. 10. There will be no need for thousands of private rail crossings to be built for farms along the route. Crossings that are hazardous. 11. Easements and right-of-way’s have already been established. 12. Rail crossing of roads are already in place. 13. Fewer major roadways are affected. 14. GLB only needs to upgrade these lines to handle a larger freight volume. 15. This is a true by-pass preventing trains from needing to travel into Chicagoland. The current GLB line is not a bypass all it does is move existing trains to a new location in the same area. A bypass takes trains away from an area.
Submitted by: Laura Scheppler · Mount Prospect, 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-35952/comment/EI-24806 · back to the docket sheet