Union Pacific To Hold Community Meeting Monday Night
Representatives from the railroad company will discuss the circumstances of the July 4 train derailment and bridge collapse on Shermer Rd. that killed two Glenview residents.
Photos
At the request of Northbrook and Glenview officials, representatives from Union Pacific will appear at a community meeting tonight at 7 p.m. at the Glenbrook North Sheely Center for the Performing Arts.
Officials are expected to discuss the safety history of the collapsed viaduct — the site of two prior derailments — construction plans for the replacement viaduct and information for those looking to file claims with Union Pacific.
Read Patch's full coverage of the train derailment and bridge collapse here.
Representatives from the Federal Railroad Administration, Illinois Commerce Commission and Illinois Department of Transportation are also scheduled to attend the meeting.
Community members at the meeting will have an opportunity to ask questions, moderated by Glenview Village Manager Todd Hileman.
Residents and businesses can file claims relating to the derailment, viaduct collapse and temporary closure of Shermer Rd. by contacting Jeff Alaniz, Union Pacific’s claim representative, at (312) 777-2028 or by email to jaalaniz@up.com
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Curious Resident
11:47 am on Monday, July 16, 2012
To Anyone Who is Able To Attend The Meeting tonight...take a look at the viaduct bridge at Willow Road....same one maintained by the UP. It is rusting out so badly it looks like it is ready to collapse as well. Saw a freight train going over it last night, and it was going really really slow! I am sure it is because of the "gravel" made bridge on Shermer but really if you are going to bring in another one may as well replace the one on Willow too to avoid yet another collapse because we know we will still have 38 cars filled with an over amount of coal coming through yet again! I am just sorry that I am unable to attend due to a previously scheduled appointment at that time!
Greg
9:54 am on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Just curious, last I knew rugged steel was not astheticallly pleasing. Looking at images of the viaduct on Willow Road, I see more paint chipping off the viaduct exposing steel. Also what do mean by over amount of coal? I'll say this again obiviously you people have no idea what you are talking about!
Theresa
12:27 pm on Monday, July 16, 2012
What about the one on Techny Rd. I have lived in Northbrook (45 years) all my life and have never seen that bridge worked on!!
Curious Resident
5:33 pm on Monday, July 16, 2012
I don't travel on Techny especially since it is closed from Pfingsten to Shermer for construction. However, I am here along time too and if it connects to the UP then it has never been maintained.
I still would like to know why these bridges have not been replaced and more secure!
Stan Golovchuk
12:33 pm on Monday, July 16, 2012
Thanks for pointing this out, I'll bring this up with someone at the meeting tonight. If readers have other questions they would like addressed during tonight's meeting, feel free to pose them in the comments and I'll do my best to raise them with officials tonight.
Joe Ski
1:00 pm on Monday, July 16, 2012
I would like to know how UP was so certain from the beginning that the derailment happend "prior" to the bridge collapsing and that it wasn't the bridge failing that caused the derailment. Also, is it really just a coincidence that there would be 2 derailments in that same spot in such a short period of time.
Greg
9:49 am on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Wow Joe Ski, I think it's very evident that the bridge collapsed because of the weight over the cars. Union Pacific stated that 28 cars weighing 140 tons each piled on top of that bridge, no railroad viaduct like the on shermer rd is made to handle 7,840,000 lbs. Also in the 2009 nine derailment, the cause was an equipment failure. Just east of the viaduct on shermer rd is a railroad switch, A car off a Westbound Canadian Pacific train had one of its wheels go over the switch and into the Eastbound train that was parked there.
IWPCHI
10:36 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
We have posted an expose of the current state of the Willow Rd. bridge showing the severe deterioration of parts of that structure. You can view it here:
http://iwpchi.wordpress.com
Independent Workers Party
Rudolph S Caparros Jr
12:09 pm on Thursday, December 13, 2012
HazMat Experts and Firefighters petition Dow Chemical and Union Pacific for safe rail tank cars transporting gas chlorine. Secondary containment is a necessary improvement that must be implemented. See--PETITION C KIT for First Responders Comments.