Hundreds pack meeting on EJ&E's rail plans

Concerns over safety, traffic congestion, air quality and general quality of life were among the complaints Wednesday from hundreds of Barrington-area residents, elected officials and business owners over the prospect of more freight trains coming through their community on a daily basis.

Well over 1,000 people packed MaKray Memorial Golf Club to tell federal officials what they thought about Canadian National Railway's plan to buy the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Co., which runs right through the heart of the Barrington communities.

CN officials said if the sale were approved, they would use the acquired EJ&E railroad lines as a Chicago bypass route for all current and future freight traffic from its Canadian and U.S. rail network.

That, Barrington leaders say, will bring at least 15 additional freight trains a day through the area.

Patty Bulanda of Hoffman Estates, who lives close to the EJ&E line, said she is worried about more trains rumbling near her house each day.

"This is going to cripple an entire community," Bulanda said.

Several members from the Barrington Fire Department were on hand to raise their concerns. Fire Chief Jim Arie said having to wait an extra five minutes for a train to pass before getting to an emergency could mean the difference between life and death.

"Blocking the tracks is a huge issue for us," Arie said.

Good Shepherd Hospital physicians added their concerns, saying more freights could delay ambulances and cost valuable time in the crucial "golden hour" right after someone falls ill or is injured.

"Every minute that someone's heart isn't beating reduces their ability to survive 10 percent," said physician Joseph Giangrasso, medical director for the emergency department at the Barrington hospital.

Wednesday's forum with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board was one of seven in communities that will be affected by the sale.

CN's planned $300 million acquisition of the EJ&E line, which runs from Wauconda to Gary through Lake, Cook, DuPage and Will counties, still needs approval from the Surface Transportation Board before the sale is complete.

The transportation board is conducting an environmental review of the project to see what kind of impact it will have on the area.

Phillis Johnson-Ball, who is heading up the environmental study, said she was glad to see so many people at Wednesday's forum. "This helps us," she said. "We are able to become aware of a variety of issues."

U.S. Reps Melissa Bean and Don Manzullo also attended the forum to speak out on the proposed sale.

Bean, who lives in Barrington, said the issue hits close to home for her.

"I am not just here as an elected official," Bean said. "This is going to affect my quality of life and my family's."

Manzullo said another negative is the EJ&E tracks can't be used for the STAR line, a proposed Metra rail service connecting Cook, DuPage and Will counties.

"That's a double whammy," Manzullo said.

CN officials also attended the forum to hear firsthand from the residents.

"We're committed to addressing the impact as best we can," CN senior counsel Theodore Kalick said. "It's in our interest to come up with solutions."

Barrington village President Karen Darch said she was very pleased to see so many people voicing their concerns.

"It is a huge and great turnout," Darch said. "I think this says that this is a very critical issue."

The Surface Transportation Board will hold another forum Jan. 17 in West Chicago.