Norfolk Southern Wrangles With Detractors Over Expansion

Norfolk RR needs to go to a location that is built to handle their needs. Memphis or Corinth MS. would be better options and want the business. The RR WILL ruin the Wolf River and the drinking water, kill innocent people trying to drive on a 2 lane hwy. fighting the 2000 trucks daily, and destroy the values of land and the many homes that surround the proposed RR yard. The RR is wanted in Memphis and they object because they may have to build a track. BUT I guess that destroying 1000 acres, polluting the water and killing people is according to their standards a better option. I think maybe someone needs to rethink the Rossville location and LEAVE ROSSVILLE ALONE!!!

There are so many in Memphis that need the Jobs that the RR could bring. Rossville has a small town feel and wants to remain that way. The town located just east of the Memphis area is steadily beginning to grow with million dollar homes while preserving the country feeling. Many people are retiring to this area or bring their families to enjoy the peace and relaxation the this historical area brings. The RR secretly went and is bulling the residents and developers into selling their land so they can destroy 1000 beautiful acres. Shelby and Fayette County have spend millions and million protecting the Wolf River. This river helps supply the national know clean good water to these areas. The pollution from the trucks and the hazardous materials that will be stored right next to the river will jeopardize this river and the drinking water to millions of residence. How can a company put so many lives at risk, destroy a town and bully the people all while hiding behind the government? Memphis is willing to work with the RR and wants their business. NORFOLK you can not expect people to trust you and your business if you build in Rossville and destroy everything.

The CN ran into Nimby sentiment in their recent takeover of the EJ&E Railway in the Chicago region. People want cheap goods delivered to them at their local Walmart or Target store, but they don't want to allow any expansion of the rail/trucking infrastructure that will allow it. Thank goodness for the STB which oversees this process. If the approval process was politicised, we would never see any improvements to our transportation systems in this country. With all of the enviremental rules in place, any destruction of wildlife habitat will be prevented. Norfolf Southern is a good steward and rail is the most efficient method of transportating goods in large quantities. It saves fuel and makes much less of an impact on the envirement than a four lane highway with thousands of trucks. An intemodal train can handle THREE HUNDRED loaded trucks with two crewmembers at a fraction of the fuel it would take 300 drivers and tractors to do the same task.
But then again, that isn't what this is really about is it? Just a few people that want to protect their ears from hearing an ocasional horn in the distance.
I hardly hear anything mentioned about all of the good paying jobs this will bring to a region that badly needs them! This is an industry that deserves your support as we work towards our goals of energy independence and the relief of gridlock on our highway system.

You must be brain washed and surely work for the RR. This area in Rossville that they want may jeopardize the drinking water to millions of people. The memphis area is known for their pure clean water and Norfolk plans on having trucks (that come along with a RR yard) and their diesel fuel along with storing hazardous material back right up to the Wolf river. The taxpayers have paid millions and millions or dollars to keep the river clean. Homes, schools and parks are all along the river. That's my hard earned money that has helped improve the river. The RR will not bring the tax revenue to Fayette county and the State that the growing housing industry is doing right now. Thousands of people have moved and invested their lives and money to have a peaceful place to live and raise a family. Most of these people do not need a job at Norfolk. I guess you don't care that because of the RR people will lose their investments in their homes, their way of life, and possibly their lives because they will fight the 2000 trucks flying down a 2 lane road. The State has already said that they do not have the money to expand the roads much less finish the 385 hwy that the trucks will also use. It doesn't make since to ruin so much land, a water supply, a way of life and not go to a place that wants you and can handle the demand like Memphis or Corinth. So renting a RR line (that is the only draw back from one site in Memphis) is not as good to Norfolk as destroying 1000 acres and EVERYTHING around it. An you comment that Norfolk brings in all of these containers that trucks would have to carry otherwise, but where do you think the trucks are going to come and go from? Norfolk will bring along with it trucks. So it isn't just the noise from the trains and the trucks. It isn't just the potential to contaminate the drinking water.It isn't just the destructions of a historical town. It isn't just that school children and people will die trying to fight the trucks going to Norfolk. It isn't just even the property values and potential for positive growth will be loss. IT IS ALL of these. I have seen with my own eyes three places in the Memphis area with intemodal RR and the areas around them are strip joints, pawn shops, truck garages, and chaos.

The people in Rossvile and EPA have not taken into account the contamination to the drinking water. I have spoken with a plumber that stated the drinking water in some wells in the Rossville area is less than 6 feet below the ground. The rail at Rossville will probably end up with yet another Superfund site to contaminate water. Carrier Corporation in Collierville has injection wells to try and help clean the City of Collierville's water supply. Persons with wells in Colllierville were told they had to cap or disconnect their wells to avoid watering with contaminated water. At only 6 feet of depth how quickly do we think Norfolk Southern can or will clean up a hazardous waste. Google 'Railroad water contamination'.