http://trn.trains.com/en/Railroad%20News/News%20Wire/2011/06/Company%20plans%20new%
202%20billion%20Chicago-area%20intermodal%20terminal.aspx
By the way, the “unamed class I railroad” is Union Pacific. It’s pretty obvious when you hear the title Global IV because all Global Yards are Union Pacific. This yard will most likely be the Clearing of Intermodal yards, since IAIS, UP, CN, BNSF, and CSX run through Joliet.
I’d suggest that you read the article again, very closely. Global 4 is already there–it’s not the new terminal to which the article refers.
CN and NS both own trackage in the vicinity of the old arsenal. I am going to assume that both UP and BNSF would favor expansion of their existing, recently-built facilities over building a new one.
CN hasn’t built many new IM terminals recently. But NS has, and is on kind of a tear of doing that, esp. now that the “Heartland Corridor” route for doublestack clearances has been completed. Eastern road NS going there would not be competing with either BNSF or UP - both western roads. However, NS being there would be complementary and would indeed make it a logical hub for IM interchange with both UP and BNSF without having to “rubber-tire interchange” across the Chicago Metro area.
Then it might make sense for CN to also build there for a better eastern connection as well.
Could CSX find a way to join the party, directly or within a short distance ? How about CP ? KCS ?
I don’t know the territory well, so will appreciate any answers and insights from those who do.
I know that therie is a Huge Port planned in Senca IL about 20 Miles from Joilet that was supposed to have an IM terminal would allow IAIS CSX to load trains right in it.
CSX has track in the area, but they need to run over Metra to get to it at Joliet, then would have to turn onto the UP at UD tower. Or they would have to get on the CN at Chicago Heights to come across.
The NS? They really dont have any track close by. Metra has the line to Manhattan, and NS just runs a local out there a few days a week. Unless they ran across the Kankakee line to Dwight and came up the UP that way. Either road would need trackage rights to some extent.
My bet would be the CN but what do I know. I did hear when the UP built this place it was only partially done, with plenty of room to expand, so maybe they are going to add onto it already. I know they want to get out of Yard Center with the intermodal and run it into G4, or so the rumor goes.
If CSX used the Rock Island tracks to get to the area they’d still have an awkward backup move at Blue Island… and not much room at blue island to build a direct connector.
NS, if they could get trackage rights on CN starting at South Bend Indiana would have a very direct and convenient route to get to the area. A connector would have to be built between the J and the UP tracks south of Joliet, but that looks possible without having to tear up many (if even at all) buildings.
You wouldnt need a connection to be built at Joliet as one already exists. We use it to get our trains from G4 up to West Chicago and from the Plaines power plant. The east end of it at the yard is also a wye so trains could come in from the east and turn to use the connection over to UD tower. But seeing as CN has decided not to double track the chunk from New Lenox to Frankfort and the east end of Frankfort siding to Matteson, who knows how much traffic they would let on there from another outfit IF this route were to be used. Another NS option would be run the Lakeshore main to CP509 at Colehour, on to the BRC at 509 and up the BRC to LeMoyne and down the CN to Joliet, UP to G4.
Tons of options around Chicago if it is indeed the NS or CSX.
What ever happened to the land the CSX and UP were looking at to build a joint yard around Crete? I know its kind of moot now for the UP with the G4 property.
True, you technically would not need one but if you built one to bypass joliet there you save yourself two crossing of the rock island not to mention addition yard congestion… hence my suggestion of why a direct connector may be built.