Canadian National rail plan draws fire from Rep. Visclosky, Schererville

BY KEITH BENMAN, Times of Northwest Indiana
kbenman@nwitimes.com

U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., and town officials drew a line in the sand against Canadian National Railway's plan to buy the EJ&E Railway Wednesday at Gary/Chicago International Airport.

"My point to the railroads is whether it be the airport, whether it be the South Shore, whether it be safety in individual communities ... we do want those issues resolved," Visclosky told about 50 town officials, transportation leaders and businesspeople.

Towns are alarmed over CN's forecasts that rail traffic at some EJ&E crossings would triple under the railroad's plan to take rail traffic out of Chicago's urban core.

"One third of our town leaves on Kennedy Avenue going to work everyday," said Schererville Town Councilman Tom Schmitt. "If that increase in trains is anywhere near rush hour, our town will be gridlocked."

Officials at the meeting began planning for the next steps in fighting the acquisition. Schererville Town Councilman Perry Ferrini said there should be an effort to work together with suburban Illinois communities in opposing CN's plans.

Other steps discussed included a public petition campaign and inserts in utility bills informing the public about the deal's drawbacks.

As recently as Friday, CN President and CEO E. Hunter Harrison defended his railroad's plans in a letter to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., stating the project will help relieve rail congestion in Chicago and clear tracks used by commuter railroads.

A CN spokesman could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Two of the big sticking points for Northwest Indiana remain the stalled effort to move EJ&E tracks to make way for the Gary airport expansion and efforts to negotiate use of CN right-of-way for the South Shore extension, Visclosky said.

The EJ&E tracks at the west end of the Gary airport's main runway pose an immediate hazard that has to be corrected, said Airport Director Chris Curry.

CN's purchase of the EJ&E is now undergoing review by the federal Surface Transportation Board. The board conducted six hearings in Illinois and one in Gary last month on the scoping of a draft environmental impact statement.

A background paper prepared by Visclosky's office stated it was "grossly insufficient" to hold just one hearing in Northwest Indiana.