But ultimately it may not make much of a difference anyway.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-railroad_14may14,0,4064449.story
Simply scare tactics…the CN has way too much to gain to let this deal “go South” on them so easily. Don’t believe what they say, not even a little.
“But if the purchase falls through, CN said, the need to reduce rail congestion in Chicago won’t go away. Thus, the EJ&E’s owner, United States Steel Corp., would have “strong incentive” to allow CN or another railroad to use the EJ&E as a bypass anyway, increasing freight traffic through the suburbs, CN said.”
And none of the NIMBYtowns could stop an increase in trackage-rights traffic. It’s not like there’s a restriction on the number of freight trains on the EJE right now. CN could run its trains thru anyway and not spend a nickel upgrading any infrastructure, I surmise.
Congratulations PZ, you have already figured out what most, if not all, of our wonderful elected officials here in the region don’t seem to understand, no matter how many times we tell them. I would encourage you to run for public office but you are obviously way too intelligent to be either a member of Congress from suburban Chicago or a United States Senator from Illinois. And don’t forget that BNSF and Union Pacific also have trackage rights agreements with EJ&E. If this whole episode weren’t so sad it would be absolutely hilarious.
Basically if this deal goes through traffic is going to increase anyway. CN could just increase traffic on the line now if they want. I personally wouldn’t mind the line staying under the EJ&E name but with the increased traffic, but I’m sure if CN doesn’t get EJ&E, UP or BNSF will want to purchase it.
Well, apparently the local politicians here love CREATE and have come out for it – if someone else pays.
Traffic will increase if the EJ&W line is double-tracked. And freight traffic along the older systems is almost at an impasse. I’ve even seen freight on our UP-North [ex-CNW] Line, and where that is going I haven’t a clue. No new manufacturing along the route. Certainly it can’t be off-loaded at Metra’s station in the Ogilvie Center. Possibly some wye-connecton to other roads that will eventually hit IHB or something like that?
But yes, short story long Chicago will (in relative terms, at least) lose ton-miles and jobs if something isn’t done to increase fluidity. Think of it as a further-out “beltway for railroads.” We have IHB and another line whose name I can’t remember west of the Loop and in the inner suburbs. But automobiles have the Tri-State Tollway and I-355. We need a rail line at or beyond the suburbs. I am sad that residents near the tracks say that their lifestyle will be diminished. But we had never “diminished” anything, there would be no Interstate Highway System, no Tennessee Valley Authority, no Rockefeller Center. I’m sorry when I see a street expanded from a country road to a four-lane and the inevitable seizing of much of peoples’ front yards. But that isn’t considered horrible in most circumstances. It has to be on a case-to-case basis, and IMO CN should be allowed to purchase:
CONS–possible diminishment of equity value in private homes along the track, also some
Just what is the year end deadline that CN is facing? The Tribune article doesn’t make that clear. Is it a real factor, or simply a drop dead date invented by the CN?
I’d say it is all about control, and the CN is willing to play the game – up to a point, which is the deadline it has declared. Each of the little fifedoms along the route is rattling its sabre over this, because people detest any change in their daily lives and want to be over-compensated for accepting any change.
What they don’t understand – because the loudest rattler of all, Dick Durbin, just don’t get it – is that CN could just use trackage rights to run their trains instead of having to spend $300 million to buy the line – and another $300 million-plus to make all the little fifedoms happy. I haven’t heard our other senator, Obama, weigh in on this because he’s been too busy with furthering his career – he served Illinois two years and then decided to run for president. So CN could tell all those towns to “stuff-it” and run its trains down the J anyway.
And apparently Durbin, Bean, Biggert, et al seem to be totally ignoring Federal law here, including the official transportation policy of the United States of America. Public Law 96-448, aka The Staggers Rail Act, specifically states,
"In regulating the railroad industry, it is the policy of the United States Government -
(2) to minimize the need for Federal regulatory control over the rail transportation system and to require fair and expeditious regulatory decisions when regulation is required;"
Without knowing the specifics of the agreement between EJ&E & CN. Most deals that are negotiated are not open ended in their consumation. Most deals have a specified date that the deal must be closed on or before.
Just like the deal in buying a house. Either the buyer buys, or the deal is null and the property can go back on the market.
This is basic corporate posturing, that’s all. Truth be told, CN doesn’t have to negotiate anything with any town to get it’s trains through.
CN simply does not want to allow the towns to call the shots on the timetable for the purchase so they can drag it out as long as they can, hoping CN will weaken and capitulate.
Again, it’s a game, and it’s all about control.
CN< UP<BNSF and maybe even NS could start tomorrow running on the trackabe rights and really plug.all the towns opposing the merger. (run low priority trains) the towns may then beg CN to take over and improve the present ROW.
Absolutely true, but isn’t the ultimate question whether these little fiefdoms can keep or forestall CN from double-tracking?
Well Poppa, Obama has come out against the merger-
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080520.wrcn20/BNStory/usElection2008/
Effect on Prince Rupert?-
http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080521.wrrupert21/BNStory/Business/home
Well, out the window goes some of my admiration for the man. However, we might try to remember he is a politician and is likely pandering to his electors. Or maybe it’s his way of thanking CN for locating it’s headquarters in his state.
How about Barrington’s mayor claiming that residents might be delay from 6 to 10 minutes.
Cripes! How wound up are those spoiled self-important yuppies that they can’t sit still for just a few minutes?
I’d bet that many people would wish that their biggest problem in life was waiting a few minutes for a train.
Yuppie or no, who in a busy life would want to wait for a train…period? Railfans? All six of them at that crossing by chance? Sit at your computer for six minutes and don’t do anything but sit there…no inputs of any kind, no mouse manipulation…just sit there and wait for six minutes. It seems a waste of time…or it would to me. Now sit for another four to make it to the odd 10 minute wait that the person says is going to happen in some instances.
As much as I am a rail fan (of sorts), and very much interested in the industry, I do think CN has a tiger by the tail. Cities are increasingly congested, noisy, and nasty places, and enough folks have indicated that they would like to forestall exacerbating those conditions, if locally, that Obama has heeded their voices. Too bad for CN, but this could be the announcement that causes a silent and large group to start weighing in.
-Crandell
[;)]COMMUNIST ALERT, COMMUNIST ALERT…LOCK UP THE SILVERWARE, THE WOMEN, YOUR CAMERAS AND SCANNERS! WE HAVE A COMMIE IN OUR MIDST[:D]. Railfan “of sorts” indeed.
Poor analogy. When driving down a road known to have a railroad crossing I’ve got a certain expectation that I may be delayed. I don’t expect my computer to lock up unless it is yearning to be immediately replaced.
The point is, would your expectation also be that it should be added to? If it is an acceptable inconvenience at present, is it still acceptable to double it, triple it? The analogy is entirely apt, with respect, because in each case one is being kept from some ulterior interest.
-Crandell
Stick n’ stones. I prefer to look at it as a person with an open mind who, educated in conflict analysis and management (my graduate work), knows that analysis of a conflict is the key to understanding and defusing it. One of the best ways to pick apart a problem is to look at it from several angle, including from the opposing vantage point.
What do you do? [:D]
-Crandell