Rail Merger Would Mean Huge Spike in Freight Train Traffic, Suburbs Say. But Rail Companies Say Impact is Overstated

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The suburbs are worried an increase in freight traffic along tracks shared by Metra’s Milwaukee District West line will mean big problems for commuters, residents, and first responders, but the companies looking to merge say those fears are overstated.

“We see the opportunity to take 64,000 trucks off the road and capturing those shipments to freight rail, which creates significant environmental benefits – including about a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to truck hauls,” Cummings said.

But Elgin Mayor David Kaptain thinks it’s still a significant change. “This impacts your quality of life as a community,” Kaptain said.. In a Monday filing with the Surface Transportation Board, the coalition says there’s just no way to mitigate the impacts of additional freight trains on their communities, which between them have 54 at-grade crossings.

The merger’s not a done deal. There’s an environmental impact study expected this year, and public hearings are likely. If the deal goes through, communities in the coalition say they need to hear a lot more about how the newly formed company can mitigate the different impacts.

 

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I rode that line for 14 years. The one time Metra passed out a survey link regarding train service in those years, the MDW line wasn’t even listed among the other lines as an option and exemplified their stance. If there’s issues, many of them are Metra’s garbage legacy on MDW.

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