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New open-access Chicago rail bypass proposed
That has about as much chance as the Iliana Expressway and the Peotone Airport did. Both of those projects are pretty much DOA due to busloads of NIMBY gang being hauled in to protest in the past. Expect more protests in the future. Keep in mind that if the eco-terrorists in Chicago come up short, they can quickly import as many as needed from the Peoples Republic of California via O’Hare. At taxpayer expense, of course. The only loophole to get a rail bypass built is to convince the socialists this is part of the so-called high speed rail corridor expansion. Then all the NIMBY gangs will be dealt with accordingly by the Chicago Machine. EPA included. I doubt that will happen because Chicago wants lots of trains in the city for the revenue. Keep in mind this is Chicago, not New York or Los Angeles. There is a very well hidden rail car axle tax in the city’s code. Chicago doesn’t care how long it takes to get a train thru the city. Just as long as the revenue keeps flowing. When dealing with socialists, follow the money.
This is a very intriguing idea. The goal seems to be to link the CSX Chicago Line with the new intermodal yards south of Joliet, BNSF’s Logistics Park and UP’s Global 4. That has the potential to speed up intermodal shipments, at least in certain traffic lanes. Where that leaves NS is a question mark unless it’s envisioned they could gain access from the former NKP between Thomaston and Valparaiso.
Interestingly, the CN’s former GTW crosses the CSX Chicago Line at Wellsboro. I wonder if it’s planned to use the CN between Wellsboro and Valparaiso and then build new west of there.
I certainly hope the NIMBYS manage to kill the Illiana Expressway (and the Peotone Airport too-they may be linked). All the Illiana will accomplish will be to expand the existing congestion on I-80 to yet another expressway resulting in a call for yet another east-west interstate. Don’t these people ever learn? But it makes sense if you are in the highway construction business and have a lot of political connections. Then the public long-term good and sensible transportation policies go out the window.
So if the all the railroads mentioned in the article see this new line as a good, let’s build it. It will leave a far more benign footprint on the landscape, require far fewer, if any, properties to be taken. Lots of railroad construction jobs will open up and will give a shot in the arm to the railroad supply industry.
It’s high time this country discovered that a high-capacity freight rail line can be the answer to highway congestion instead of the usual state DOT’s usual of “We need another interstate to relieve congestion on an existing one”.
I attended the briefing at DePaul University in Chicago, and was highly impressed with this proposal. Roughly one-third of all rail traffic currently passing through Chicago does not originate or terminate in Chicago. By providing this open-access bypass, the Class I’s could expedite this traffic through the area and reduce the railroad congestion in Chicago. This project would complement the CREATE project, not compete with it, and would make for the improved utilization of motive power and rolling stock.
I back Mark Shapp’s remarks 100% I live within 1/4 mile of Iliana proposed ROW and he is sooo right. The roads are turning to dust here due to the Centerpoint operation as it is and IIiana will only make it worse.
this whole thing smells of the pork of a project to benefit the toll hogs. They couldn’t get the Skyway project right. The skyway is crumbling eyesore that needs to be torn down. It’s not worth the $30 every big truck has to pay to use it. The growth for a Gary airport isn’t there, so it does not make sense to build the Illiana pike and Peotone airport. Truckers will avodi the tolls and continue to use I-80/94 to avoid the tolls. Even in the upper reaches of the northern Chicago area, trucks will use US41 instead of the toll road along I-94 just south of the Wisconsin line.
I bet there will be no NIMBY’s were the track will be!
There already is MIMBY for the Illiniana Expressway. According to the article the ROW would be next to the expressway.
There already is MIMBY for the Illiniana Expressway. According to the article the ROW would be next to the expressway.
This sort of open-acess makes sense to me. It’s essentially a multi-line “trackage rights” agreement with shared maintenance, if I understand the proposal correctly. Chicago rail congestion is legendary. Maybe this is part of the answer.
CREATE can’t even get funding let alone this one. CREATE would likely get the desired results at half the cost. I find Chicago axle tax statment laughable - most containers move in and out of city via trucks now with large intermodal facilities built/consolidated in Joilet, CN already bypasses the city with their purchase a few years ago and Chicago becomes irrelevent to thru traffic as soon as their is a merger for a true continental railroad
and there’s the daily goose comment that has nothing to do with railroading. it’s embarrassing for the website that this wing-nut lunatic keeps posting such hate-filled garbage. goose, you need to move out of Illinois. sarah palin could probably rent you a room.
and there’s the daily goose comment that has nothing to do with railroading. it’s embarrassing for the website that this wing-nut lunatic keeps posting such hate-filled garbage. goose, you need to move out of Illinois. sarah palin could probably rent you a room.
The TPW is already there - just use it like a toll road.
The TPW is already there - just use it like a toll road.
Would work if built in conjunction with highway project as seems to be proposed. Doesn’t make much since but highway projects can be built but railroads bring out the NIMBYs. But it would seem as though this would only benefit BNSF tanscon trains going to CSX. Would need to be expanded to near Rochelle to the west to gain access to UP and BNSF northern transcon to be a true bypass for Chicago. Just oil trains alone from BNSF to NS and CSX would be a huge traffic generator for the proposed railroad. An extension to La Porte would also be needed to access NS water level route.
The NIMBYs in this case actually have a very good argument. Nearly all of the opponents to the Illiana Highway (especially those within a few miles of the proposed route) have long said that it would not be just a highway and now we have the proof as they want to add a railroad right-of-way.
Now I’m just as much of a rail fan as the next guy but the Illiana Highway and Peotone Airport have next to nothing to do with public interest and instead with making certain individuals rather wealthy (or wealthier).
If there were a true concern for rail movement then CREATE is the turn-key ready program that could significantly alleviate most of the issues, but there is no money to complete it because it won’t make any individuals rich.