N012944 (11-16):
Anyway, since you’ve taken sides, what is your solution? Does a dying railroad justify the government cutting off their arms for the public good?
What railroad is "dying"?
Well, just a bit of ironic sarcasm, I suppose, based on what CShaveRR said in his fine, enlightening, detailed post …
CShaveRR … CP's attitude is basically that of the dog in the manger, especially considering how they've done nothing but cut back operations at Bensenville since EHH took over …
Cutting back could be a sign of desperation, OR cutting the fat out of operations. Railroads are notorious for the first, but in latter days the latter is dominating. This western contributor is unfamiliar with the actual situation at the site in question, and it is desirable to learn more. But, it strikes me that the railroad will win. If it doesn’t, WE are all in trouble! Can you imagine the government saying a project is more important than the Transcon, and BNSF would just have live with their line being severed?
Take care,
K.P.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- K.P.’s absolute “theorem” from early, early childhood that he has seen over and over and over again: Those that CAUSE a problem in the first place will act the most violently if questioned or exposed.
Thought I remembered this in my wayback:
http://www.rtands.com/index.php/track-structure/ballast-ties-rail/rail-line-relocation-boosts-o.html
I suspect that the tollway's new wrinkle is contrary to what was agreed to in the previous O'Hare expansion project. Would not be surprised at all if the tollway is destroying CP's long term expansion planning by cabbaging property that CP just bought (at a higher price than the quasi public toll authority is willing to pay for) for its expansion. taking a big bite out of CP's elbow-room is rubbing a railroad raw (the wrong way)....CP's construction of a new yard and support facilty is fairly obvious, would love to see what THAT railroad long range plan for that area looks like. It isn't as much the York Road area as it might be County Line to Wolf Road in conjunction with the 4L & 4R crosswind extensions plus the now defunct West OHare satellite terminal. (Which sorta appears in the PDF.)
I need a new scorecard to see what's been promised and what's still on the books.
......."Don't fence me in".... ...
"Nevermind!"
I'm not sure how dead the businesses are on Frankin/Green St are but when I got my kitchen granite countertops about three years ago, they were cut and polished there. Though I do recall the owner said he was going to have to move. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. If you look at Google earth, the tollway will go between the Ex C&NW/MLW now UP/CP and the end of the two EW runways. Looks like the runway approach landing lights are where the Tollway would go. Used to park on York road in the 60's and watch the birds land but that seems pretty tight between the RR & the end of Runway. The airport took out a cemetary and many houses in that area to build the three runways, and moved Irving park road South up against the RR property.
From the map, I'm not clear what RR property the Tollway needs except to build piers for bridges. The Tollway has to go up over the UP's line which is going over the CP's yard. Building "flyovers" is something highway engineers love to do.
I suspect there will be many meetings between the CP & the tollway to resolve what the tollway will pay to get what they need and that this was an opening gambit in the negotiations.
The map of the proposed tollway shows the road east of the railroads. That would place it on airport property and close to the approach ends of runways 10L and 10C. The FAA would likely be involved, and they are very resistent to any incursion on safety areas near runways.
Norm
Norm48327 The map of the proposed tollway shows the road east of the railroads. That would place it on airport property and close to the approach ends of runways 10L and 10C. The FAA would likely be involved, and they are very resistent to any incursion on safety areas near runways.
Looks like maybe 1200 feet from the runway ends. I believe they checked with the FAA and the City of Chicago, which owns the land under O'Hare itself.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
Well, I did say "Approx. location". And it was somewhat better than a mere opinion - an estimate of the location based on the pproportions from the (limited) references that I cited. Happens to be the first attempt here to do that, too.
Nevertheless, thanks to the others who did more research and provided more accurate and precise locations.
- Paul North.
Since you asked,K.P., my opinion is that there are no dying railroads here, unless they're committing suicide. Bensenville used to be a major classification yard, and they've eliminated that function, for the most part, moving those duties up to St. Paul. The tracks that need to be bridged by the new road are part of the old receiving yard, I think. Intermodal stuff is considerably to the east of this area. If CP has any plans for building here after decommissioning so much, I'd be really curious. As I said, they just don't want to give up land...but I don't know who would have given them a better deal for land that they're not going to use again. Maybe if this goes to court they'll come up with something, otherwise I'll stand by what I said just now.Thanks for the direct links to the map.Most of the industries being pushed out by the highway are small ones like the granite-polishing firm; I think they have to be paid to move (I could be wrong about that), and there are plenty of places that could house them (again an assessment based on what I've seen in the way of vacant buildings).And the railroads losing out on road or highway construction projects is nothing really new...I've seen a few examples on "my" line (CNW's east-west main line) where the railroad countered a proposal with something totally ridiculous, and gained nothing or next to nothing.
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
Murphy Siding Carl- I'll second that thanks for the decsription. I was able to follow the route on Google Maps as well. (So easy, even a caveman could do it.) If this has reached a point where there's talk of condemnation and eminent domain, does that mean they're already past the part where an offer to buy the land outright was made?
Carl- I'll second that thanks for the decsription. I was able to follow the route on Google Maps as well. (So easy, even a caveman could do it.) If this has reached a point where there's talk of condemnation and eminent domain, does that mean they're already past the part where an offer to buy the land outright was made?
Tunnel the whole thing from 294 to Ohare.
david l stricklin Why cant the Toll road Tunnel underneath Bensonville yard. Tunnel the whole thing from 294 to Ohare.
Why cant the Toll road Tunnel underneath Bensonville yard.
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