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Dec 3, 2008 4:44 pm US/Central
Amtrak Drops Opposition To EJ&E Sale
CHICAGO (AP) ―
Amtrak is dropping its opposition to the hotly debated sale of a suburban Chicago railway line.
The passenger service says it's agreed with the company that's vying to purchase the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway line that loops around Chicago.
Amtrak had worried Canadian National would stop maintaining other Chicago-area tracks if it purchased the EJ&E. It had feared that would jeopardize Amtrak service south to Springfield, Carbondale and other cities.
CN has now agreed to keep maintaining those tracks. But Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari says ending its opposition isn't the same as active support. He says Amtrak is now taking a "neutral position" on the $300 million sale.
Many suburbs bitterly oppose CN's plans to more than triple traffic on the EJ&E.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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