By Chris Coffey, NBC 5; June 5, 2019
If you are waiting longer at Chicago area rail road crossings and experiencing more delays on board passenger trains, you are not alone. The gridlock is getting the attention of US lawmakers, who want to find more ways to speed up commuter and freight trains in the Chicago area.
The House Committee on Appropriations approved a spending bill that would require a full analysis of Chicagoland’s rail system in order to prioritize Federal Railroad Administration funding. The goal is to identify train congestion bottlenecks that could lead to improvement projects. House members also want to improve communication between commuter and freight operators and possibly utilize the Federal Railroad Administration as a mediator.