Expanded railway use would hurt area

To the editor: The proposed purchase and expanded use of the EJ&E Railway will route 20 or more freight trains over eight surface crossings. This will adversely impact traffic congestion and the health, safety and welfare of residents in the Barrington area and should be denied.

The village of Barrington was built around the main line of the Union Pacific Railroad, and serves as a major commuter station for Metra service to Chicago.

This rail line has four major surface crossings that have been well integrated into the development of Barrington over the last 100 plus years.

Historically, Barrington has served as the central focus or hub of banking, commercial, cultural and residential concentration for the 80-square-mile Barrington Council of Governments (BACOG) area. The Canadian National Railway proposal will have a devastating impact on this entire area.

The Barrington central business district will be in lock-down mode during rush hours and many times in between.

The quality of life and health, safety and welfare of residents as well as all public safety, school, park, church, library, forest preserve facilities and assets will be devalued.

The area serviced by District 220 coincides closely with the BACOG area. The Illinois Department of Revenue reports that the total taxable market value of District 220 was $9.8 billion as of Jan. 1, 2005. It is reasonable to add 20 percent to this value to update it to a Jan. 1, 2008, market value of $11.8 billion. Properties not included in the tax rolls would bring this figure to $15 billion.

An effective 20 percent (i.e., ranging from 10 to 40 percent) loss in value for all properties and facilities would equate to a loss of $3 billion through the implementation of the Canadian National Railway proposal.

There is bound to be ripple effects over a much larger region than BACOG through the loss in viability of Barrington and its commuter facilities. Approval of the Canadian National Railway proposal would be a tragedy too difficult to contemplate. It should be denied.

P. James Perille, director

Barrington Enlightened Taxpayers Association

Supports merger of CN and EJ&E

To the editor: Everything to date in the press has been on the negative side from the towns and villages involved.

I would like to place the following positive items in file:

a. Who was there first? The railroad or the subdivision? People knew when they bought the home the railroad was there.

b. Rail locomotives are more fuel efficient than trucks.

c. Rail locomotives are more environmentally friendly.

d. Rail moves more tons per gallon of fuel than trucks.

e. Each rail car removes four trucks from the highways.

f. Rail crossings are safe -- it is auto drivers that are not.

g. The new truck engines are not as fuel efficient as the old ones.

h. There are organizations attempting to increase trucks weights.

i. Highways and bridges are deteriorating rapidly and no funds to repair.

j. More trucks -- more congestion -- more fuel consumption.

k. I seriously doubt this merger will affect the proposed STAR Line.

l. A timeline is needed to show that this merger and the infrastructure improvements will take a number of years to complete.

I am a 18-year resident of Bartlett, and support this merger as it is the best environmental and economic approach for everyone.

Bernard J. Thomas

Bartlett

Editorial does not represent objectors

To the editor: I am responding to your editorial on Dec. 19 regarding the purchase of the EJ&E by Canadian National.

How insulting and patronizing of you to call the residents of the Barrington communities "whiners." You tout the merits of this merger and give no thought to what it will do to this community.

If you had ever been in the village of Barrington when a freight is going through you would observe the complete blockage of traffic on three major roadways. No emergency vehicles can get past, let alone school buses or cars. Traffic going through this village from McHenry, Lake, DuPage, Kane and Cook counties comes to a complete standstill.

Yes, the proposed purchase and increase in freight traffic through Barrington might decrease freight traffic in other areas, but those areas are not only used to it, they have the infrastructure to deal with more freight trains.

Barrington does not. More than 15 freight trains a day will cripple this community so totally that it will become a ghost town. Businesses will leave. Homeowners will leave. No one will want to own a home in the village if they can't drive through it. This increase in the number of freight trains through Barrington will effectively wipe our "core," our "downtown" off the map. Had you thought about that?

Had you thought about how many subscribers to your paper live in our area? Have you given them the courtesy of considering their side of this?

Before you insult us all for "wailing" or "whining," you might try to see it from our perspective. Over a thousand people came to the Canadian National presentation with intelligent and thoughtful questions and well-founded, genuine concerns for this community. You are supposed to be a local newspaper but you certainly do not represent the sentiments of this local majority.

Trustee Lauren DeJesu

Lake Barrington

What's so different about this?

To the editor: Remember when the American Indians wanted to put gambling in Rolling Meadows? Remember the response from Arlington Heights and the track? What has changed in this position except the money going to the track and Arlington Heights?

There is always talk of a low class of people following the slot machines. Why not put them in Barrington?

Remember when the track acted like a baby and closed the track? Arlington Heights, Cook County and the state still survived.

Tony Voleck

Rolling Meadows

A sad farewell to a good company

To the editor: I read in Friday's Herald that another business is leaving for China.

Usually when I read news like this I feel bad, but when it hits close to home, it brings out many more emotions. The company I am referring to is Methode, located north of Euclid on Hicks Road -- you know, the building with the mirrored front (Mr. McGinley started this company in his garage and now it is world-wide).

Back in 1974 I applied for the night shift, as my youngest just entered kindergarten and I needed a job for two years to pay for a new (used) car. Well, I retired in 2005 after 31½ years of service. It was a very nice company to work for. They let me go from nights to days and back to coincide with the school schedule.

Many times I had to leave work for appointments or emergencies. And later, when my daughter had cancer, I was allowed time off to care for her.

I remember taking up a collection and buying a "Methode" brick which is located under the Carillon on Kirchoff Road. Over the years I have made many good friends, some of whom still stay in touch. So I say to all my friends, "Good luck, Good Bye and Adios! My prayers go with you."

Jean Wenzel

Rolling Meadows