Durbin unhappy with CN lawsuit

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin jumped into the fray over a lawsuit by CN seeking to reduce its contributions for grade separations in Aurora and Lynwood Wednesday. The U.S. Surface Transportation Board ordered the railroad to pay for more than 65 percent of the cost of both projects when approving CN's merger with the smaller EJ&E Railway on Dec. 24. Durbin said CN's court challenge affects not only the two towns "but raises the question about the future of other commitments and agreements CN has made." CN filed suit in a Washington D.C. appeals court Monday saying the usual contribution for overpasses or underpasses is 5 to 10 percent and the government's ruling was unfair. Durbin called the lawsuit an attempt by CN to run out the clock on the STB's 2015 deadline for grade separation construction contracts to be signed.