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Post Info TOPIC: There is that word "assume" again


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There is that word "assume" again
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Opinion: CN railroad 'assumes' a whole lot

(The following column by Dan Campana appeared on the Beacon News website on August 4.)

CHICAGO Oh, Canada.

Your home and native railroad company sure wants to bring a lot of trains here.

True patriots -- as the Maple Leaf anthem goes -- Canadian National might be, but down in suburban Chicago they're considered hosers for wanting to block our roads and waste our precious gasoline with freight traffic of epic proportions.

All great north import jokes aside -- thanks for the Molson, syrup and, if you're a Blackhawks fan of late, Jonathan Toews -- it would be hard to find many people around here excited by CN's proposition to buy the EJ&E rail line.

Last week, a federal board looking into CN's plan issued a 3,500-page report that certainly said something about this whole train thing, but just what is a matter of perspective.

CN didn't mind most of it. Local pols either wanted more time to digest it or flat out slammed it, including U.S. Rep. Bill Foster. Many of the everyday Joes and Janes most affected if train crossings become parking lots probably don't know what to think about the report because they haven't read it. Frankly, who'd read this whole thing -- or even the 54-page summary -- if they didn't have to?

Four days after the Surface Transportation Board's analysis was released, CN through an American PR firm responded. What the company said wasn't nearly as interesting as the disclaimer that accompanied it.

In short, CN's official comment said it looked forward to the process continuing, that it will work with all officials to make it happen and remained confident the sky won't fall on suburbanites if more trains are approved.

On the other hand, CN barked at STB for reportedly changing its standards for improvements at local train crossings and apparently discounting the benefits of less train traffic in Chicago.

Forgive Aurorans and their neighbors for not celebrating the prospect of Chicago's loss being this area's excessive freight gain.

Then there's the disclaimer.

"This news release contains forward-looking statements. CN cautions that, by their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk, uncertainties and assumptions. In addition to other assumptions contained in this release, the company believes the U.S. economy is currently experiencing recessionary conditions, but assumes that it will recover within the next six to nine months," it reads.

Forget stimulus checks and a new president, CN says the economy is coming back, folks, so get ready!

But that's just CN's assumption. What else are they assuming when looking into the future?

It assumes a workable relationship with towns hardest hit by increased choo choo traffic, but also assumes it won't have to spend more money than anyone else has to for improving crossings there. It assumes no disruptions to Amtrak or Metra. It assumes their own greater good is enough justification to appease the locals.

Then again, that's the risk of being forward-looking. Sometimes you're wrong.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

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