Costs of rail merger will be far greater

The Surface Transportation Board's draft Environmental Impact Statement fails to give a realistic picture of the damage that the proposed CN purchase of the EJ&E would bring to communities on the EJ&E line.

The greater train length and the number of trains per day would increase the train miles per day by more than ninefold, or 835 percent at each of the eight Barrington-area crossings. This is based on the study assumption that the number of trains per day would increase from 5.3 to 20.3 and that the average train length will increase from 2,590 feet to 6,321 feet.

It is likely the number of trains per day will eventually increase by 20, not 15. Over time, the average length could reach 10,000 feet. This would mean an 18-fold, or 1,700 percent increase in train miles per day.

Barrington is the center for banking, shopping, commuting, church, library, medical, cultural and educational activities. Police, fire and paramedic access would be compromised by traffic gridlock. Commuters and school buses would experience intolerable delays. The quality of life for our entire community would suffer.

The study recognizes the proposal will result in a loss in property values for homes within 250 feet of the railroad. This is patently ridiculous. The cumulative effect of this project on the entire BACOG area will result in a huge loss in property values. The study minimizes the deterioration of business, shopping, church, library, school and emergency and medical facilities as well as the health, safety and welfare of citizens.

The value of all properties in the BACOG area is at least $15 billion. A 10-20 percent loss in value would represent, conservatively, $1.5-$3 billion. Contrast this to the CN investment of $300 million to buy the EJ&E.

Three of our EJ&E at-grade crossings involve major arteries: Lake-Cook Road; Route 59 and Route 14. They are within one mile of each other with no alternate routes. Even if CN were to provide the entire $200 million or more required for grade separation at these crossings, the BACOG area would still suffer a huge loss. The CN proposal should be denied.

Jim Perille

Lake Barrington Shores