CN: Blame the government, not us

“To my knowledge, our elected leaders have done virtually nothing”

TINLEY PARK, Ill. - Canadian National Railway is getting a bum rap over its plan to acquire the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway, CN spokesmen said Monday. via Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers a...

[Annoyed in Joliet]

As both a resident of Joliet and a shareholder in the Canadian National Railway, I can honestly say I'm a little more than disappointed in this whole proposed plan to purchase the EJ&E Railway. It seems the only reason the want the railway is so they don't have to go directly into Chicago anymore. It appears they don't care about the negative impact it will have on the communities along that route.

They're expecting Metra to build new tracks and create more problems all so they can have a monopoly on the existing tracks in the EJ&E. What do they expect Metra to do about Joliet's Union Station? Do they honestly think Metra and the RTA will go along with this and spend millions building new overpasses and rail lines for their proposed Star line all because they're greedy and don't want to share? Let's not even get into the Park Forest issue because the CNI doesn't even want to take into consideration the fact that for a good portion of the day their increased train activity will literally cut the town in half. The sad truth is the closer to Chicago you are the more special you are in the eyes of the CNI. The collar counties are going to be royally screwed with an increase of traffic delays and trains all because CNI doesn't want to send their trains through Chicago.

[TANGLEFOOT]

Well Boo-Hoo them.They better get with program real quick before they're trains in up in Lake Michigan, Where do they want to go? Straight to Memphis? The trains get loaded and unloaded in Chicago that was the deal.

Sounds like they don't want to pay union wages.
MAN, a good old fashioned RailRoad Strike would get things done!!

I'll bet there's a NO-STRIKE CLAUSE in the contract.

[Jonathan]

I am also a CN shareholder.

This is a government issue and a not a corporate one. It is the government's responsibility to make the rail and road system work. In North America we are massively subsidizing the trucking industry with unlimited access to free roads and bridges, pay for repaving after all the wear and tear, pay to expand the roads and pay for traffic light systems. When trucks invoice companies it is at a subsidized price. If the trucking industry had to reimburse the tax payer their invoices would be almost double and they would not be competitive.

However, when it is the rail system we subsidize barely anything. In fact we ask them to pay for their own rails and traffic lights. Now you want them to pay for bridges, sound proofing and other infrastructure requirements.

I think if you suggested forcing trucking companies to pay for their real cost of the road system as well then you would have the railway companies on your side. In fact they would be delighted. Afterall in terms of real costs - subtracting all subsidies - rail is much much more efficient. It is also less polluting.

[Jonathan]

I would also like to add that it is not CN's fault that the Chicago terminals are tracks are so congested. Why should they be forced to go through Chicago?

Everything is congested in Chicago. From acquaintances I have been told that much of this is due to the overly powerful unions in Chicago.

The government is responsible for providing a competitive passage around the city that meets the needs of it's citizens locally and at large. How is it possible for a rail company to achieve this? CN can't just put some rubber tires on their trains and drive them around the city like the trucking companies do.

[Mary]

Truck companies don't own the roads. Railroads own their tracks which is why they have to pay to maintain them.