Susquehanna Turned down on transfer station 11/11/09

[airman00]

anyone who buys a house near some type of infrastructure, be it a rail line or an airport, or a busy highway, or something else like a truck depot or car racing track or even those major electrical lines, needs to know what they living next to. If you got your house on the cheap because you bought next to one of these things, then that's why you got your house for that reduced price. Not so you change things later on, because in all likelyhood, those things were there BEFORE your house, so they are grandfathered in.

I'm all for qaulity of life issues and all that, and I like peace and quiet just as much as the next guy, but people need to understand, if you buy near a rail line, there is a good chance at some point a train will go by. Even on an old out of service line, or abandoned line, a train still could go through.

[RS115]

I have mixed feelings on this - I agree that if you buy next to the yard or the airport or whatever you knew what you were getting. However, the additional truck traffic can affect people who didn't do any of those things. The Susie and some other lines like M&E have made some of their own trouble on this issue riding the 'federal exemption' thing for all it appeared to be worth. It back-fired and now no one should be surprised that the towns are pushing back - hard. No one likes getting pissed on by the 'big guy' and regardless of the size of the individual corporation in instances like this it becomes a battle against the mean, impersonal etc etc Rail Industry who's just trampling John Q Public's right to peace and harmony. For the media, the story practically writes itself.

The ultimate solution will require state or federal intervention or at least guidance to site the needed stations where they have the least impact on their surroundings and the environment.

[cjvrr]

Remember in this specific case the railyard was constructed approximately 15 years ago. Prior to that, there was one lightly used track that had a train with one or two cars perhaps once a month at most.

Some of these same people complained in the 1990's about the construction of the rail yard. At that time it was used to transfer corn syrup. These people didn't purchase a home next to a rail yard, the railroad decided to build one next to them. During the corn syrup operation they had a steam heater car running sometimes 24/7. The railroad delievered cars, mostly at night, so the residents had to hear the coupling operation while they were sleeping. The railroad did plant trees and built a 16' high wooded fence adjacent to the houses.

Additionally the current site plan shows the brick transfer structure and storage will be done in the areas adjacent to the residential homes not in the area where the former Pompton Feed and Seed and Pompton Supply are located. The plans shows bricks being warehoused all the way down to the fence line near Post Lane.

A few public meetings have already been held in town. I don't doubt the railroad will appeal the Town's decision either.

I should note I am not against the transfer operation but I do think better locations are available. Perhaps if the hours of operation for the transload were restricted to daylight hours it may ease some of the resident's fears.

[ErieLimited2914]

I just heard from a reliable source that it was apparently approved with certain conditions. I don't know details yet, but I'll find out.