CN will take over the EJ&E.
If the houses are close to the Tracks then CN officials will have to upgrade the signals and controls for that stretch of single track. Some places on the IC and GTW were single tracked, and the CN has not upgraded them back to double track, yet.
Andrew
[quote user=“MP173”]
The EJE ROW is a very valuable property, as we have discussed previously. It fits in quite nicely with the CN system.
However, I do believe residents of those communities have a concern. If traffic swells to the point that local automobile traffic is affected, then it can certainly affect the local quality of living. Hmmm does that sound like a traitor to you? Let me ask you this…what happens when CN decides to swap crews in downtown ___________(fill in the blank with a community) and blocks every crossing on all the way thru town for 20 minutes?
I have personally been delayed 20 minutes by such an event. Big deal you say, get over it…well, what if that is either you or one of yours in the ambulance or the fire truck is attempting to get to a local fire, or perhaps …I can go on .
These communities have a point. Let me add the disclaimer right now that not only am I a railfan, but a CN shareholder, so you know where I am not only in my hobby, but also financially.
Perhaps a few questions should be asked…What shape is the EJE track in? Is this 25mph or 60mph track? That will affect the time it takes for train passage. Where are the sidings? If the line is single track, there will be a considerable number of meets daily. Do those sidings block the roads/streets? It isnt much of an issue when 3 trains a day run on a line, but for 25 per day, the dynamics of operation change drastically.
Is the ROW grade separated from streets? If not, does each community have at least one overpass? If not, who pays for it? The city or CN, or both?
This is definately going to change the landscape of Chicago railroading. Soon you will have Mayor Daley vs Cities of Barrington, West Chicago, Joliet, Frankfort, Griffith, et al.
Ah, politics.
BTW, the local US Representative for Indiana, Peter Viscloskey (one of the recently crow
not for plainfield, Route 30 & 59 runs right through town and Rt30 across RR tracks, plus they have the truck stop there on I55 [B)]
They should just make Rt30 go under the RR, they did that to one crossing by my work on Orchard road in Aurora about 4 years ago
Just like the Mayo Clinic messing with the DM&E, these Chicagoland suburbanites will make some trouble, cause some delay, and make some lawyers wealthier, but they’re unlikely to change the end result. By the way, I’m still trying to figure out what is REALLY motivating the Mayo Clinic to get its hands so dirty in the DM&E case. That one’s way over the top.
My favorites out here in California are the ones who moved into new tract homes under the flight path for MCAS El Toro, and then started complaining about the noise from jet fighters. It’s been years now, but (in my book anyway) they’re still the champs!
Yep, true enough, and form some strange reason I don’t recall hearing the folks in West Chicago who live near those same tracks crying the blues like the hoi paloi in Barrington!
Haha, yes that is true, but I have heard West Chicago may also oppose this merger as well. Could you imagine how backed up the junction at JB tower would be? Think if the Metra STAR line does happen on top of the increased CN traffic how bad West Chicago would be. That would probably need to be grade separated.
Is that spelled P-R-O-G-R-E-S-S?
There are probably a couple of places that would need to be grade separated if the Metra STAR line happened. Barrington where the EJ&E crosses the UP would probably need to be grade separated as well. EJ&E is already grade separated from both BNSF lines in the area, as well as fromthe CN ex IC Iowa Division and the CN ex-GM&O mainlines. Chicago Heights and Griffith would probably be fine the way they are now since Metra isn’t going that far east. Again, this is if the STAR line happens, but I don’t see CN allowing it. Remember, last year CN wasn’t going to allow Amtrak to run their new trains down the ex-GM&O until the state threatened to take them to court, so I wouldn’t get hopes up about the STAR line.
The only place Route 30 crosses the J is in East Joliet, and there’s an overpass there.
Route 59 does duck under the J in Plainfield. Only Route 126 crosses the J at grade in downtown Plainfield. Twice, but one is the river route, maybe two trains a day.
Route 59 does cross the J once in Barrington. I’ve been through Barrington once but didn’t bother to stop there. It is funny how in Plainfield when the River Line train comes it crosses the same street twice. I’ve got caught by the same train at both crossings a couple of times.