During the past few years, I have worked with Evergreen Park Mayor Jim Sexton and 19th Ward Ald. Matt O’Shea to hold CSX Railroad accountable for the frequent traffic delays it creates in our communities.

In 2016, the City of Chicago and the Village of Evergreen Park initiated legal action against CSX related to ongoing public safety and quality-of-life issues arising from the repeated blockage of grade crossings by stopped trains or malfunctioning gates on CSX’s Elsdon Line. This particular rail line runs north and south (mostly parallel to Sacramento Avenue) before angling northwest and crossing Kedzie just north of 95th Street.

In 2016, the City of Chicago and the Village of Evergreen Park initiated legal action against CSX related to ongoing public safety and quality-of-life issues arising from the repeated blockage of grade crossings by stopped trains or malfunctioning gates on CSX’s Elsdon Line. This particular rail line runs north and south (mostly parallel to Sacramento Avenue) before angling northwest and crossing Kedzie just north of 95th Street.

As a result of this legal action, CSX is required to file monthly reports with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) regarding use of the line through June 2018.

As the STB reporting period draws to a close, I’d like to ask residents to comment on their experiences with the Elsdon Line during the past 12 to 18 months. Please note: this does not include the recent closing of the 95th and 103rd Street crossings, which was part of a regularly scheduled reconstruction project. Complaints should focus solely on delays or other issues caused when the line is operating under normal circumstances.

When submitting comments, please consider the following guidelines:

• Comments should be submitted via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and must reference STB docket number FD35522.
• Comments should be addressed to Ms. Cynthia Brown, Surface Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW, Washington DC 20423-0001.

Comments should be as specific as possible. Statements like, “I have been stopped on five separate occasions in the past month alone,” are stronger than, “The gates are down all the time.” Also, residents are asked to explain what specific impact these problems have had on their lives. For example, have you been late for work, late dropping off a child at school or missed a doctor's appointment?"

Please forward this message to neighbors who might be interested. Everyone’s voice should be heard on this. But please act quickly because we must respond by the end of the month. Thank you for you participation.

Should you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact my district office on Western Avenue at 773-445-8128.