Comment EI-24955
Received or sent (printed as 7/14/2016)
Along mile marker 133 of the Great Lakes Basin Railroad narrative is the towns of Serena and Sheridan, IL. This line will destroy the tranquility of these sister towns with the blaring of train whistles, the rumble of train cars and the engine noise trains produce that can be heard for miles from the tracks. This line, if approved needs to be located away from these towns, either further North in the Somonauk area, or further South by Dayton, IL. The Dayton area is already listed as a possible alternative route by GLB, they dismissed it as having a longer river crossing and impacting a sky diving business. These rejections are consistent with the poor logic GLB has used in the preparation of this route. The Dayton Crossing is actually preferable as it will allow their line better access to the US Silica plants, makers of Silica Sand, in the Ottawa area, as well as the other major industries and distribution centers in Ottawa, IL. Dayton is also a less populated area than Serena and Sheridan, and keeps the line well away from the Sheridan Correctional Facility and the Community Unit District Number 2 schools. Dayton has no school or prison, and their sky-dive business can easily be relocated to a new location, as in the 1980’s it was located at the Sandwich, Illinois airport. Skydiving can occur anywhere there is an airstrip, PRIME farmland cannot be moved from where it exists. Dayton is also outside of the Serena and Sheridan shared emergency response area; Dayton is served by the Ottawa emergency services. This too makes the location preferable, as the current GLB line forces the Sheridan and Serena fire departments to cross the line for almost any emergency call, as the two towns work together on major fires and accidents. The Sheridan Ambulance services all of Serena and the GLB line cuts Serena off from its Ambulance services. The town of Serena was also chosen to be the birthplace of Superman in the 2013 hit movie “Man of Steel.” The Hoxsey barn on E2351st Road, off the corner of E2351st and Route 52, is the landing spot of the infant who the world knows as Superman. I know you are laughing, but if Hollywood decided Serena Illinois is the quintessential small town and worthy of being the location of Superman’s discovery on Earth, the Great Lakes Basin Railroad, needs to avoid this area. Serena deserves to keep its peace and tranquility, as recognized by Hollywood. The GLB trains will make it an ugly noise train spur town, home to pollution and trains.
Submitted by: Abe Henker · 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-24955 · back to the docket sheet