(The following article by Denise Perry Donavin was posted on the Chicago Daily Herald on October 7.)
CHICAGO — Elburn and Metra made their final connections Monday, with unanimous approval of six ordinances that will start wheels rolling on construction of the Metra coach yard, station, platform, parking for 300 cars, and a third set of tracks from Peck Road to First Street.
Metra hopes to start service by December 2005. The cost of the entire project is $134.6 million.
Elburn’s station and coach yard will be located north of Keslinger Road, in what is now a cornfield, and east of Kansas Street.
Robert Hodges, who lives on Nebraska, was the only resident to comment at Monday’s public hearing. On his list of topics were noise abatement, children’s safety, crossing gates, and the impact of construction on his trees and yard.
“One of the reasons I am opposing the rail yard,” Hodge said in an earlier interview, “is that they’ve done nothing to address the noise as the trains move in and out of Elburn.
“Air brakes are set and released as they change direction,” he added. “The berm will only protect neighbors in Still Meadows from noise generated in the coach yard. Just try sleeping 100 feet from the tracks.”
Village President Jim Willey assured Hodge, “There will be no additional traffic in your yard and so no additional noise.”
Metra is supplying video surveillance cameras at the First Street and Route 47 crossing gates and working with Union Pacific on lessening the whistle blowing of freight trains, explained Metra Executive Director Phil Pagano. He said the commuter trains would not trigger any crossing gates or use whistles since there isn’t a crossing at the station anyway.
Pagano also mentioned working with local schools on Operation Lifesaver – a train safety education program. Hodges said that he frequently sees children playing on the tracks.
“I listen to the U.P. (Union Pacific) engineers and they are always warning each other about kids on tracks,” Hodges said. “A construction site is an attractive nuisance, and it is only a matter of time before one child takes a header onto the tracks.”
“I am not getting any complaints,” said Police Chief Jim Linane, “and I am unaware of it being a problem.”
Metra’s Pagano promised, “We’ll get our contractors and solve some of these problems immediately. Please let the chief know or call U.P. There is a limit to what Metra can do.”
Village attorney Bob Britz said as the meeting closed, “I wish the train was here today. I have to go downtown tomorrow, and I have to be in Geneva at 6:30 to get a parking place.”
The Metra project includes a station in LaFox, with 300 parking spaces, and some extensions to parking and platforms in Geneva, Pagano said.
It’s been more than 50 years since the last Chicago Northwestern passenger trains stopped running Jan. 8, 1955, from the Elburn station.