(The following story by Andre Salles appeared on the Suburban Chicago News website on February 22.)
CHICAGO — As comments continue to pour in to the Surface Transportation Board regarding the proposed sale of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad, one of the other major rail lines — Union Pacific Railroad Company — has weighed in.
Union Pacific took no position on the transaction, but took the opportunity to remind the Surface Transportation Board of its statutory obligation to “ensure the development and continuation of a sound rail transportation system with effective competition among rail carriers and with other modes, to meet the needs of the public and the national defense.”
Union Pacific’s comments note that the capacity to handle the needed traffic in the Chicago area does not presently exist, and that the increase in traffic proposed by Canadian National in its buyout of the EJ&E line is not outrageous, compared with other rail lines through metropolitan areas — including the Union Pacific.
“Based on what UP knows about rail lines and traffic in the area, neither denial nor extensive mitigation appears to be justified,” the submitted comments read.
Many of the comments objecting to the buyout come from smaller municipalities, concerned about traffic and safety concerns at their at-grade rail crossings. In Aurora, nearly 100 East Side citizens turned out for a Jan. 24 town hall meeting, most of them upset over the proposed sale and potential increase in freight train traffic.
The city of Aurora has submitted its own comments to the federal board, and more than 150 Aurorans picked up comment forms to submit their own concerns, city officials said Thursday.