(The following story by Stewart Warren appeared on the Suburban Chicago News website on March 6, 2009.)
JOLIET, Ill. — More trains are using the old Elgin, Joliet & Eastern rail line.
And at some point, there will be even more.
On Wednesday, a 30-day waiting period expired, allowing the Canadian National Railway to begin increasing the traffic on their newly acquired tracks, said Will County Board Member Lee Ann Goodson, R-Plainfield, during Thursday’s executive committee meeting.
“Now that they own it, they can pretty much do what they want to,” she added.
At the end of January, the CN finalized its purchase of the 198-mile EJ&E line, a move that was designed to route trains away from Chicago. The EJ&E’s tracks stretch from Waukegan to Gary, Ind., while passing through several Will County towns such as Joliet and Frankfort.
Many Will County residents and officials worried about the sale, citing the increased train traffic; the accompanying traffic tie-ups on area roads; the county’s many “at-grade” rail crossings and the transportation of hazardous materials, among other things. Will County has 133 at-grade crossings — meaning places where train tracks cross a road and aren’t elevated to run above it. When a train goes through the crossing, the traffic on the street must stop until the rail cars have passed.
If residents are upset about the increased number of trains or other issues, Goodson urged them to go to www.fightrailcongestion.com to file a complaint. Stalled trains and blocked railroad tracks, for example, could cause concern, she said.