freight carriers are being jeopardized by local residents defending their own backyard.

Click title for full story. U.S. railway heavyweights back CN plan Defend revamp of Chicago hub BRENT JANG TRANSPORTATION REPORTER April 21, 2008 Two of the largest railways in the United States have joined rival Canadian National Railway Co. to sound the alarm that expansion plans by North America's freight carriers are being jeopardized by local residents defending their own backyard. CN's plans to revamp its Chicago hub have become the test case, with the railway running into opposition from suburban residents, who fear that increased train traffic near their homes will lead to longer waits at rail crossings, extra noise and more pollution. CN announced last September that it would pay $300-million (U.S.) for Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Co. (EJ&E), a strategic but underused line along Chicago's outskirts, subject to regulatory approval from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board.