Amtrak's Canal St. Maintenance Facility

WHAT’S HAPPENING?

Amtrak is working to move its maintenance facilities from an industrial area in South Loop to the inactive Canal Street rail yard, turning the dormant rail yard into an active 24/7 maintenance facility.

The facility would stretch from 23rd to Pershing (aka 39th St.), along almost the entire length of the Bridgeport, Chinatown, and Armour Square, all dense residential areas.

This project was sprung on the community, and the public learned on August 20 that the federal government gave Amtrak a categorical exclusion from environmental review.

HOW WILL THIS HARM US?

Rail maintenance facilities involve heavy work on idling diesel trains, which means loud industrial noises, heavy vibrations, air pollution from diesel exhaust, chemical and oil runoff, light pollution, risk of toxic spills, etc.

This move would put all of those harms in a residential area and within a mile of at least 17 schools and 8 senior living facilities.

Diesel fumes are extremely toxic, causing harms such as cancer, asthma, respiratory ailments, nausea, fatigue, and more. The risk is higher for children, the elderly, and people with existing conditions.

Studies already show that residents around rail yards see higher rates of cancer, cardiovascular mortality, and childhood asthma.

No environmental review means no statistics on the contaminants produced, their volume, and what can be done to protect our community from them.

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE WHITE SOX?

Justin Ishbia, billionaire and minority owner of the White Sox, has plans for a mega-development at the current Amtrak maintenance facility location. He is likely to buy the team and Amtrak’s move will enable him to build a new White Sox stadium in South Loop.

He owns Canal Edge LLC, the company building the new rail yard, and his involvement accelerated Amtrak’s plans to move its facility.

Moving the Sox out of Bridgeport would not only be an economic, cultural, and historic hit for the neighborhood, but it also means the stadium could be replaced by even more 24/7 rail yard.