Just attended a seminar on the proposed Chicago Outer, Outer Belt -- the Great Lakes Basin Railroad. The 200+ mile project will extend from Michigan City to near Janesville. The price tag is estimated at $6+B, all privately financed. https://utc.uic.edu/plans-for-great-lakes-basin-railroad-detailed-at-presentation-april-29/
The II&M / Chicago Milwaukee & Gary tried this once, back in 1904-78...
What's old is new again?
mudchicken The II&M / Chicago Milwaukee & Gary tried this once, back in 1904-78... What's old is new again?
that was noted in the presentation and that phrase was used several times.
Buslist mudchicken The II&M / Chicago Milwaukee & Gary tried this once, back in 1904-78... What's old is new again? that was noted in the presentation and that phrase was used several times.
http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/t/159934.aspx
[Kankakee Belt Route] FORUM Thread from 2009
Supports the 'what's new is old' supposition!
samfp1943 Buslist mudchicken The II&M / Chicago Milwaukee & Gary tried this once, back in 1904-78... What's old is new again? that was noted in the presentation and that phrase was used several times. http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/t/159934.aspx [Kankakee Belt Route] FORUM Thread from 2009 Supports the 'what's new is old' supposition!
Link doesn't work for me but I think this isn't some fan speculation but some high powered business folks backing this. But it still reminds me of the aT1 trust, some very deticated folks chasing an almost impossible goal.
I would think that this concept is dead on arrival for a variety of reasons. First, where is the money going to come from? Second, while the governors of the states involved are willing to jump through lots of hoops to look "pro-business", how do the businessmen involved plan on acquiring a right-of-way without being gouged and gain approval of environmental impact statements and other legal requirements? Third, the booming overhead Chicago bypass traffic on EJ&E when it was a US Steel property shows how successful this concept can be. Unless this road is a joint subsidiary of the Class 1 railroads, it isn't going to get a lot of overhead traffic.
Hmm.Here's a slightly different discussion of this bypass.Hmm
If it seems like Orfordville is in the middle of nowhere to start such a massive project, that's exactly the reason, Patton said. They don't want the railroad going through any population centers.
Just read a little about the proposal: Basically a brand New 5 Track rail corridor built IINM through primarily "Greenfield" property rather than existing R.O.W's?
It might make sense in terms of relieving congested freight lines in and around Chicago but I would imagine the NIMBY uproar will make the opposition to CN's attempts to increase traffic on the E,J & E look like an argument among the members of a book club..
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
carnej1 Just read a little about the proposal: Basically a brand New 5 Track rail corridor built IINM through primarily "Greenfield" property rather than existing R.O.W's? It might make sense in terms of relieving congested freight lines in and around Chicago but I would imagine the NIMBY uproar will make the opposition to CN's attempts to increase traffic on the E,J & E look like an argument among the members of a book club..
The plan is to be totally grade separated and avoid population centers minimizing NIMBY objections. There was a NIMBY type in the room yesterday that was worried about unemployment among truck drivers due to diverted traffic and bridge design over the 3 major river crossings (Rock, Illinois and Kankakee).
Buslist The plan is to be totally grade separated and avoid population centers minimizing NIMBY objections. There was a NIMBY type in the room yesterday that was worried about unemployment among truck drivers due to diverted traffic and bridge design over the 3 major river crossings (Rock, Illinois and Kankakee).
Illinois farmland is some of the most expensive in the country. It is much more valuable than the deserted sagebrush ranchland in eastern Colorado that was to be crossed by a Joint line (Denver-Pueblo) bypass, but that bypass still died after rancher opposition (Although UP ambivalence also did not help).
MidlandMike Buslist The plan is to be totally grade separated and avoid population centers minimizing NIMBY objections. There was a NIMBY type in the room yesterday that was worried about unemployment among truck drivers due to diverted traffic and bridge design over the 3 major river crossings (Rock, Illinois and Kankakee). Illinois farmland is some of the most expensive in the country. It is much more valuable than the deserted sagebrush ranchland in eastern Colorado that was to be crossed by a Joint line (Denver-Pueblo) bypass, but that bypass still died after rancher opposition (Although UP ambivalence also did not help).
is this for real or somebody's pipedream?
rdettmer is this for real or somebody's pipedream?
They claim to have the proposal before the STB by the end of the year so let's see if they get there. There are some high powered guys involved. I have no clue where the $ would come from, but they claim to have a good chunk of it.
Buslist rdettmer is this for real or somebody's pipedream? They claim to have the proposal before the STB by the end of the year so let's see if they get there. There are some high powered guys involved. I have no clue where the $ would come from, but they claim to have a good chunk of it.
First STB Meeting September 2015..NOI(Notice of Intent) should be out Feb 2016
Public Meetings March 2016
http://www.greatlakesbasin.net
G
Article on this in today's Wall Street Journal, pages B-1 and B-2 or B-4.
I'd say long on hope and intent, short on money and commitments.
It did note that the STB has recently started public hearings/ comment sessions on it.
- Paul North.
3 Filings and a Decision/Notice so far. (And a ton of BANANA NIMBYism already...)
The Illiana Expressway or Illinoise Indiana Bypass would have covered some of the same teritory as the Great Lakes Basin Railroad. See-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illiana_Expressway both in my opinion would have sucked jobs out of urban chicago hurting inner city blacks and hispanics who live in the inner ring and core burbs.
The NS claims they will not use the bypass.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-railroad-says-no-st-0528-20160527-story.html
An "expensive model collector"
What this might do is force the Class I's to put some money into getting more serious in imiplementing the portions of CREATE that are still to be done. Including NS! I would view that as a positive development indeed.
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