CN is railroading all of us over EJ&E
CN is railroading us.
As a professional truck driver, I'm amazed by how naive residents are along the Wisconsin Central line about Canadian National's proposed takeover of the EJ&E rail line to our west. Think this is good for you? April Fools! It hurts all of us. Canadian National's record of being upfront with communities is pathetic, almost as weak as the Herald reporter's job of investigating the story.
Go on their Web site and read U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky's endorsement letter. She even says that CN can then backfill the WC line's "freed-up capacity" with other rail traffic. Wake up! You're being railroaded!
Their CEO insists Illinois taxpayers, not CN, should pay to build underpasses so ambulances and traffic can get through. He brags they're investing $100 million in "improvements" -- but not for community benefit, but for their own rail sidings. They also brag about how this'll eliminate hundreds of trucks from the road -- and logically, truck driver jobs like mine.
CN's only required to tell us their plans for the next 36 months -- that's some long-term planning for Illinois. After that, Buffalo Grove and Des Plaines, it's back to trains aplenty, only then we'll all be penned in with two lines.
Don't whine that no one told you so. CN's doing nothing for us -- no congestion reduction, no job growth, no infrastructure -- just a big, fat bonus for a Canadian CEO. Welcome to NAFTA!
Carl Taucher Jr.
Crystal Lake