CN reaches deal with Joliet as EJ&E purchase hearings begins

CN reaches deal with Joliet as EJ&E purchase hearings begins Canadian National Railway said it has reached an agreement with the City of Joliet, Ill., regarding its proposed acquisition of the major portion of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Co.
   Tuesday's announcement came as the Surface Transportation Board began a series of eight hearings on the proposed purchase of the short-line railway, which has provoked opposition in some Chicago suburbs.
   Under the deal announced Tuesday, CN said it has resolved “outstanding concerns the City of Joliet has related to quiet zones, operations, and communications surrounding the transaction.”
   “We believe this will be the first of many agreements between CN and the communities along the EJ&E line that are impacted by this transaction,” said Gordon T. Trafton, senior vice president for CN’s southern region. “We have consistently been willing to work with and address the concerns of communities across the region. We believe this agreement with Joliet is evidence that these concerns can be mitigated.”
   CN says the $300 million purchase will improve service to large and small companies across the midwest and throughout the nation, and will relieve serious rail congestion and bring significant economic and environmental benefits to the Chicago region.
   But opposition to the plan is running high in some communities. The Chicago Tribune said opponents in the village of Barrington, northwest of Chicago, said they expect to have at least 3,000 residents turn out at a hearing this evening at the city’s high school.
   The Tribune said that in Joliet the number of freight trains along the EJ&E is expected to increase from 18 to 42 a day.