Railroads join Chicago in public/private partnership to reduce pollution
CHICAGO, Ill. - The nation’s railroads, the city of Chicago. and the state of Illinois Monday announced plans for a public/private partnership to streamline the freight and passenger railroad networki in Chicago. The plan calls for creation of five rail corridors, including one primarily for passenger trains; grade separations to eliminate many commuter delays, and the opening for commercial development of a key corridor in downtown Chicago. The total cost of the project is estimated at $1.5 billion, to be shared by the railroads and various levels of government.
The Chicago gateway now handles more than 37,500 freight cars per day, and in two decades that number will increase to 67,000.
The project is expected to take six years to complete, and calls for the elimination of 25 grade crossings; improved access for emergency vehicles with six of the new grade separations occurring at critical crossings; and more efficient commuter rail service for some Metra routes with the construction of six railroad flyovers. In addition, the project will convert the St. Charles Air Line, a connecting line south of the Loop owned by Canadian National, from rail to park, residential, and commercial use. CN would get a new route through the city along existing rail alignments to connect three of its corridors (Illinois Central south, Illinois Central west, and Wisconsin Central).
All six major Class I freight railroad systems serve Chicago directly: Burlington Northern Santa Fe; Canadian National; Canadian Pacific; CSX Transportation; Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific. Together they move freight through the city whose annual value is said to be $350 billion.
I took this from the trains magazine.
Sound pretty cool!!
CHICAGO, Ill. - The nation’s railroads, the city of Chicago. and the state of Illinois Monday announced plans for a public/private partnership to streamline the freight and passenger railroad networki in Chicago. The plan calls for creation of five rail corridors, including one primarily for passenger trains; grade separations to eliminate many commuter delays, and the opening for commercial development of a key corridor in downtown Chicago. The total cost of the project is estimated at $1.5 billion, to be shared by the railroads and various levels of government.
The Chicago gateway now handles more than 37,500 freight cars per day, and in two decades that number will increase to 67,000.
The project is expected to take six years to complete, and calls for the elimination of 25 grade crossings; improved access for emergency vehicles with six of the new grade separations occurring at critical crossings; and more efficient commuter rail service for some Metra routes with the construction of six railroad flyovers. In addition, the project will convert the St. Charles Air Line, a connecting line south of the Loop owned by Canadian National, from rail to park, residential, and commercial use. CN would get a new route through the city along existing rail alignments to connect three of its corridors (Illinois Central south, Illinois Central west, and Wisconsin Central).
All six major Class I freight railroad systems serve Chicago directly: Burlington Northern Santa Fe; Canadian National; Canadian Pacific; CSX Transportation; Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific. Together they move freight through the city whose annual value is said to be $350 billion.
I took this from the trains magazine.
Sound pretty cool!!
