Bartlett, nearby suburbs voice their disdain for CN deal

Bartlett Village President Catherine Melchert Thursday called the proposed Canadian National Railroad deal a "death knell," dashing all hopes of the long-awaited Metra STAR line.

She said the STAR line, a decade long concept, would alleviate traffic congestion by taking potential Metra commuters out of their cars and off the highways.

"This purchase will add nothing to the communities along this line. There is no benefit which will accrue to our community, only problems," she said.

CN officials disagree, saying they're willing to work with Metra, if needed.

The comments came Thursday at Bartlett High School, the fourth of eight public meetings hosted by the federal Surface Transportation Board in hopes of soliciting opinion about Canadian National's $300 million bid to purchase the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad Co. from United Steel Co. About 300 people showed up.

The Surface Transportation Board staff is gathering public comments before a Sept. 30 deadline and will submit a report to the three-member board sometime between December and January. The members, appointed by the president, could then approve or deny the purchase.

Speakers from Wayne and West Chicago also thrashed CN's plan, echoing many of the concerns shared at previous meetings. They argue the extra trains that would run through their towns bring safety risks and could damage property values.

West Chicago Mayor Mike Kwasman said his town is now building fire stations, not because of population growth, but in response to where railroad tracks are built to cut down ambulance response time.

"We have no intention to be enslaved by a railroad," he said.

Elgin Area Unit School District 46 Board President Ken Kaczynski said the 89 buses in the state's second-largest school district would be prevented from safely transporting students in a timely manner.

Three of Thursday's 39 registered speakers supported the deal. That's including CN's Vice President Danny Simpson. He defended CN's safety record.

CN spokesman Jim Kvedaras said his company is eager to meet with Metra to work on the STAR line if the project progresses.

The proposed $1.25 billion STAR line would link the northern and western suburbs, and Metra would likely need access to the EJ&E tracks.

"We will cooperate. We will meet with Metra," Kvedaras said.

CN officials once more stated they wished to work with communities, hoping to come to an agreement like the one brokered earlier in the week with Joliet. Joliet lifted its opposition to the purchase after CN approached them with a deal to reassure them that concerns, like quiet zones, would be addressed.

Joeseph Modrich also supported the deal. He's the director of parks and recreation for the park district of Franklin Park and said his town would benefit from less pollution, as the deal would mean fewer trains in his community.

CN officials say the deal would make transport of foreign goods faster.

Wayne resident Jim Morris said he had a problem with a foreign company telling him what to do with his property.

"I don't want anyone to have this in their backyard," he said.

However, Cook County Commissioner Timothy Schneider of Bartlett said he opposed the deal because of the negative effects it would have to his home village. He said his fellow commissioners also supported or opposed the deal depending on how it affected their homes.

"This absolutely is a not-in-my-backyard situation," he said.

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