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(erielack) Re: commuter railroads



Look what happened to UP when it proposed it's new Chicago intermodal terminal. UP wanted it reasonably close, but it was NIMBY'd all the way out to Rochelle IL. Thus each dray to and from the Windy City generates an additional 50 miles worth of fuel consumption and exhaust.

Paul B

From: hoboken_@_ezrs.com
Subject: Re: (erielack) Re: commuter railroads

An off-topic reply relative to the NIMBY issue.

A small railroad in South Bend, IN, wanted to buy a few miles of NS branch
to develop freight service, including coal delivery to Notre Dame
University, which currently receives coal by truck.  The city opposed it. 
The neighbors opposed it.  The University opposed it because the city
opposed it.  Why?  Because of the perceived danger and noise.  The
railroad offered to flag all crossings.  The railroad would have removed
significant truck traffic from the city streets and would have reduced
automobile exhaust.  Still, everyone was against it.  The project died
when NS decided not to sell the line.

Reducing pollution and traffic are nice in the abstract, but not in
reality.  It's sad when what would be an all-around winner is killed
because of perceived inconvenience.


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