(The following appeared on the Daily Herald website on January 7.)
CHICAGO — Barrington’s request to federal regulators to delay a merger between CN and the EJ&E railroads is just too long, lawyers for the railway say.
CN Tuesday asked the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to reject a petition from Barrington requesting the government hold off on the Jan. 23 date the merger is supposed to go into effect.
Barrington officials asked for the deferral Monday so a lawsuit they filed the same day against the STB could be reviewed.
CN’s lawyers argued that documents filed by the village are only supposed to be 10 pages but Barrington submitted about 60 pages.
Joining Barrington in the request for a stay was Will County, which argued that the merger could cause environmental hazards for the region.
CN intends to move trains from its tracks in Chicago and nearby suburbs onto the EJ&E, which runs between Waukegan and Gary, Ind.
The railroad said changes will ease congestion but Barrington and other towns have fought the proposal, saying it will increase traffic and noise.