Not an Ordinary Crossing

Within a half-mile radius—approximately 2,638 feet, or 804 meters—around the Canadian National Railway (CN) crossing at IL Route 59 (Crossing #260 515D), hundreds of homes and businesses are being subjected to repeated, intense ground vibration. The affected area spans over 2 million square meters, or 2.03 square kilometers, centered at latitude 42.15679 and longitude −88.13988.

This disturbance is caused by long CN freight trains traveling through the crossing, often at speeds up to 45 miles per hour, as permitted by the Federal Railroad Administration. These trains are massive in both length and weight. A typical CN freight train measures about 6,800 feet, or 1.28 miles, but some can extend up to 10,000 feet—equivalent to 1.89 miles. At this length, approximately 177 freight cars are joined together. Each of these cars is fitted with eight steel wheels—four on each axle at the front and rear—resulting in a total of 1,416 steel wheels pounding the tracks with each pass.

This pounding is not merely noise; it creates serious physical consequences. The interaction of thousands of steel wheels with the joints in the steel rails—especially at the junction where CN tracks intersect with Metra’s Union Pacific Northwest Line—produces concentrated ground vibration. These vibrations do not stop at the tracks; they travel outward, shaking the ground beneath nearby homes and buildings. Residents have reported their floors trembling, beds shaking, and glassware rattling in cabinets—some comparing it to the sensation of an earthquake.

The weight of these trains compounds the issue. Each loaded freight car weighs approximately 286,000 pounds (143 tons), and with 177 cars, the total freight weight comes to over 50.6 million pounds, or 25,311 tons. To move a train of this size, CN typically uses three to four locomotives, each weighing around 415,000 pounds. With four locomotives, the combined weight of the train reaches approximately 52.3 million pounds, or 26,141 tons.

This enormous mass of steel moves through a residential community—often during nighttime hours—releasing powerful shockwaves into the ground with every wheel rotation. These vibrations are not benign. They contribute to structural degradation: damaging foundations, cracking walls, shaking porches loose, and disrupting residents' ability to sleep and live peacefully in their homes. The long-term consequences are physical, psychological, and financial. Some families have already chosen to sell their homes and leave the area. Others feel trapped—unable to sell, yet unable to stay comfortably.

What’s happening in Barrington is not just a nuisance. It is a public infrastructure failure and a livability crisis. CN's timetable speed through this corridor must be reassessed to 25 mph with urgency.

We are calling on CN, the Federal Railroad Administration, and local officials to act swiftly—before further damage is done to our homes, our community, and our health.