Money for overpasses is lacking if Canadian National Railway bu...

the US transport system is not working now....no one else has come up with a better alternative.
Funny how none of these protesters had a problem with dozens of other rail mergers/takeovers.....
This is such a not in my back yard focus it is incredible!
The move would benefit the US economy, the US shippers, the US receivers, the global econmy etc tec. but several thousand Illinois elite would have a change of lifestyle. Boo hoo.

Sounds to this old Cowpoke that folks seem to be seriously overreacting......this CN deal will NOT impact the neighborhoods the way folks IMAGINE it will. Trains have been running for more years than any of us have been alive and will continue to do so. Why don't we all just relax our worried frets and let CN go on and do their business. I am sure it will go much better than everybody thinks. After all---CN has been running trains for a long time and it behooves them to take care of the towns they travel through and to. It WILL be OK folks! What CN wants to do is very GOOD for the Chicago area and the whole country's transportation network. Let 'em do it!!!

Plainfield is a bunch of Bozo's
they want to build an overpass for the EJ&E spur line that the CN won't be routing extra trains on,

why not spend that on an overpass for a crossing on the main line.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/plainfield...

Avalanche Cowpoke wrote:

After all---CN has been running trains for a long time and it behooves them to take care of the towns they travel through and to.

I've read numerous articles to the contrary. CN has a reputation for total disregard for the towns they run through and screw.

back yard opponent wrote:

the US transport system is not working now

I read where the Canadian rail system is falling apart. So much so that trains must now slow down to avoid further decay and accidents, so I wouldn't be pointing fingers.

I'll give Berman points for showing up. Takes a lot of chutzpah to sit there and say BG believes other communities should take over their entire burden of freight trains.

As far as funding for any overpasses, with hizhonor wanting to host the 2016 Olympics, road improvements outside of the City of Chicago will be non-existent. Even if Chicago doesn't get the bid, Daley doesn't give a sheyat about the suburbs. Todd does, though,'cause we're the sales tax money tree.

Conspicuous by his absence yesterday was U.S. Rep Jerry Weller. The EJ&E tracks run right through is district in the south suburbs, but he was "too busy" to participate in this hearing. But then, he isn't up for re-election this year, is he?

back yard opponent wrote:

the US transport system is not working now....no one else has come up with a better alternative.
Funny how none of these protesters had a problem with dozens of other rail mergers/takeovers.....
This is such a not in my back yard focus it is incredible!
The move would benefit the US economy, the US shippers, the US receivers, the global econmy etc tec. but several thousand Illinois elite would have a change of lifestyle. Boo hoo.

That all sounds about right.

I would add that there are a lot of towns along the BNSF and UP main lines that somehow thrive with trains running through them.

This purchase needs to go through and the whiners need to shut up.

Bill wrote:

Conspicuous by his absence yesterday was U.S. Rep Jerry Weller. The EJ&E tracks run right through is district in the south suburbs, but he was "too busy" to participate in this hearing. But then, he isn't up for re-election this year, is he?

I wouldn't criticize someone for not going to a kangaroo court disguised as a meaningful meeting.

Steal Rails wrote:

I'll give Berman points for showing up. Takes a lot of chutzpah to sit there and say BG believes other communities should take over their entire burden of freight trains.
As far as funding for any overpasses, with hizhonor wanting to host the 2016 Olympics, road improvements outside of the City of Chicago will be non-existent. Even if Chicago doesn't get the bid, Daley doesn't give a sheyat about the suburbs. Todd does, though,'cause we're the sales tax money tree.

First off, he didn't say that at all.

Second off, go look at downtown Downers Grove, Hinsdale, LaGrange, Elmhurst, etc. before you even think about wasting tax dollars on unnecessary road improvements.

Dr Dave wrote:

<quoted text>
First off, he didn't say that at all.
Second off, go look at downtown Downers Grove, Hinsdale, LaGrange, Elmhurst, etc. before you even think about wasting tax dollars on unnecessary road improvements.

Well stated Dave. There are HUNDREDS of communities in the Chicago region and elsewhere in the country that are shouldering over ONE HUNDRED trains per day and do so without grade seperations, and you don't hear them whining to the news media about being delayed. And this whole thing concerns 25-30 trains per day at the most, or a little more than ONE PER HOUR! I guess that they must realize that our rail carriers preform a vital service for us by carrying the heaviest cargo that would otherwise end up on the highway system, further clogging up the roads.
It has to be something in the water in the area around Barrington that brings out the obnoxious, unreasonable rantings that I have had the misfortune to read on these blogs.

Talk is cheap. These politicians should be working to "earmark" money to build the overpasses if the deal goes through. Bring home the bacon for the communities they supposedly represent. Let's see some real effort here. What they are doing is just a photo-op so they can say "we tried" when elections roll around. Other US reps get money for projects in their districts, our reps should at least TRY to do the same.

I agree that yesterday's hearing was little more than a kangaroo court. My point is that Mr. Weller has been totally silent on this entire matter. This controversy impacts the resident of his district and his constituents deserve to have his representation, one way or the other.

As I've said SO many times in different forums on this topic... there is no money because your politicians like Obama, Durbin, and especially Melissa Bean all diddled and diddled for so long, CN jumped in and made the $300 million bid to USS. Now some of you are all PO'd about the whole affair (can't blame you really) and one mentally challenged individual even thinks showing train wreck videos is the way to stop the deal. Well guess what..... you should all be all over these idots who screwed you. Remember their names... OBAMA, DURBIN, and BEAN. There is no money for grade separations, no money for STAR, and no money to finish CREATE. And IMO, no reason for the STB to deny this.

No Liberal wrote:

As I've said SO many times in different forums on this topic... there is no money because your politicians like Obama, Durbin, and especially Melissa Bean all diddled and diddled for so long, CN jumped in and made the $300 million bid to USS. Now some of you are all PO'd about the whole affair (can't blame you really) and one mentally challenged individual even thinks showing train wreck videos is the way to stop the deal. Well guess what..... you should all be all over these idots who screwed you. Remember their names... OBAMA, DURBIN, and BEAN. There is no money for grade separations, no money for STAR, and no money to finish CREATE. And IMO, no reason for the STB to deny this.

This country has been under-investing in infrastructure of all kinds for decades, and there is plenty of blame to go around for both parties. The need for railroad-highway grade separations nation-wide has been completely ignored at all levels of government, and continues to be ignored by the elected officials that are opposing this transaction.

Bill wrote:

Conspicuous by his absence yesterday was U.S. Rep Jerry Weller. The EJ&E tracks run right through is district in the south suburbs, but he was "too busy" to participate in this hearing. But then, he isn't up for re-election this year, is he?

Is he the rep for the Joliet area that stands to gain 15,000 jobs clustered around a new railyard/industrial park?

I like how the Tribune is sooooo biased in its reporting. It runs story after story about this issue, but always slanted as though the writer's backyard has an E.J.&E. track running through it.

Isn't it time for some kind of full disclosure from the Trib as to their REAL interest in this story? Where does Zell live?

Why should state senators and representatives pony up money to pay for improvements that will benefit a private, for profit, company? If CNRR wants to expand their empire and rake in more bucks, then they should pay for the improvements necessary. It isn't as though homes adjacent to these little-used lines bought a home near a highly-used rail and knew what they were getting into. If CNRR can't pay for the necessary improvements then they should take their bat and ball and go home. If King Ritchie doesn't want trains going through Chicago then he should pony up instead of always expecting the suburbs to pay - aren't we doing enough paying for Chicago public schools and the CTA?

Dr Dave wrote:

<quoted text>
First off, he (Berman) didn't say that at all.

Dave, he was quoted in another paper as follows:

"Thousands of people in towns that abut the existing CN lines stand to benefit from reductions in rail and highway congestion, a decrease in train noise and relative improvements to safety," he said. "It would also set the stage for possible enhancements to Metra service."

Translation, move the freight trains elsewhere and provide us with more METRA service in BG. Boye, he's got a lot of nerve. BG will put up with METRA train congestion, but they want to shed all the freight traffic. Nice.

Tic wrote:

Plainfield is a bunch of Bozo's
they want to build an overpass for the EJ&E spur line that the CN won't be routing extra trains on,
why not spend that on an overpass for a crossing on the main line.
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/plainfield...

Even better, they already have an underpass on the EJ&E mainline at rt 59 (Division). They just don't need it. Sounds like an attempt to extort money from the railroad.

JLK wrote:

Why should state senators and representatives pony up money to pay for improvements that will benefit a private, for profit, company? If CNRR wants to expand their empire and rake in more bucks, then they should pay for the improvements necessary....

The CN says few or no improvements are necessary, and that their re-routing will benefit traffic flow in many areas. The overpasses primarily will benefit the local areas where they are built, the areas these people represent.