>> EXCITEMENT FEELS ABOUT A OF EXPEDITION IN THE ARCTIC.

AND NOW A TOP STORY A NEW RAIL LINE LINKING NORTH AMERICA IS SENT TO SEND MORE FREIGHT TRAINS THROUGH CHICAGO SUBURBS.

FEDERAL REGULATORS FOR AMERICAN SPECIFIC FROM CHICAGO AS PART OF THE ROAD MAKESRIGHT TRAINS THROUGH CHICAGO SUBURBS.

FEDERAL REGULATORS FOR AMERICAN SPECIFIC FROM CHICAGO AS PART OF THE ROAD IT AGAIN MEXICO TO THE U.S. QUICK THE IMAGE EMISSIONS FROM TRUCKS AND GREAT JOBS BUT THEY SAY THE DEAL IS DANGEROUS.

AS PART OF OUR CHICAGO TONIGHT SERIES REPORTER NICK BLOOMBERG ARE LOOKING INTO THIS.

AND NICK JOINS US LIVE.

>> ITASCA IS SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE BY TRAIN TRACK AND THESE DRUGS ARE USED BY METRO MILWAUKEE DISTRICT WEST FROM UNION AND BY FREIGHT TRAIN.

A TASK A FIRE TREETRUCKS ARE US MILWAUKEE DISTRICT WEST FROM UNION AND BY FREIGHT TRAIN.

A TASK A FIRE TREE THE VILLAGE LIVED NORTH OF TRACKS THE THE FIRE STATIONS ON THE NORTH SIDE.

HE IS WORRIED RAIL TRAFFIC COULD HAVE A HUMAN COST.

ITASCA FIRE CHIEF IS TAKING US ON A DRIVE FROM THE VILLAGES ONLY FIRE STATION TO A HOUSE A QUARTER MILE AWAY.

>> YOU HAVE YOUR PHONE WHY DON'T YOU TIME AS.

>> ALL OF THE REAL CROSSING ON ITASCA IT JUST GOT ARE ON STREET LEVEL SO THEY HAVE TO CROSS TO GET TO THIS PART OF TOWN.

THEY FOUND IT IS A SHORT TRIP.

>> ONE MINUTE 25 SECONDS.

NOW WE WILL SLIDE BACK.

>> IF CROSSINGS WERE BLOCKED MINUTES ON END BY A FREIGHT TRAIN.

QUICK THERE ARE NO GOOD ALTERNATE LINES.

>> HE SAID THE ONLY OPTION IS GO SOUTH, GET ON THE INTERSTATE GOING BACK NORTH OVER THE TRACKS AND WENT BACK SOUTH THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS.

WHEN HE SHOWED SAYS THAT ROUTE IT TOOK MORE THAN 11 MINUTES.

>> EVERY EMERGENCY, A HOUSE FIRE DOUBLES IN SIZE EVERY MINUTE.

QUICK THAT IS WHY THE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT HAS THE COALITION TO STOP BEACH COUNTY AND A CLUSTER OF NORTHWEST SUBURBAN FIGHTING THE MERGER OF THE TWO REAL COMPANIES.

A MERGER THAT WAS JUST CONFIRMED.

>> WE FEEL THEY DID NOT TAKE PEOPLE AN ACCOUNT THEY TOOK MONEY INTO ACCOUNT.

>> THE MERGED COMPANY PLANS TO HAVE 7-EIGHT ADDITIONAL TRAINS ALONG THIS TRACK.

COMPONENTS WORN A TWO MILE TRAIN BLOCKING CROSSINGS IN A SET A TIME.

SPEAKING WTTW TO NEWS LAST YEAR ANDY CUMMINGS.

>> AT ANY GIVEN CROSSING YOU'RE LOOKING AT A THREE MINUTE CROSSING BLOCK FOR A 2000 FOOT TRAIN MOVING AT SPEED.

CERTAINLY THAT DOES HAVE AN IMPACT A THREE MINUTE BLOCKAGE.

TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE THAT IS SPREAD OUT OVER A 24 HOUR PERIOD WOULD BE ONE MINUTE PER HOUR.

>> AFTER THE MERGER THEY ARE COMMITTED TO AN ONGOING DIALOGUE ALONG THE RAIL LINE.

>> IT IS REALLY FELT LIKE A DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH BATTLE.

>> CONGRESSWOMAN MARCY OPPOSED HE SAID CANADIAN PACIFIC AND KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN HAVE EACH HAVE TRAINS CARRYING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS DERAIL OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

>> IF YOU CAN IMAGINE A SITUATION WHAT HAPPENED IN EAST PALESTINE HAPPENED IN THE CHICAGO SUBURBS.

IT WOULD BE ON A SCALE UNIMAGINABLE COMPARED TO WHAT WE SAW IN OHIO.

>> THE HEAD OF FEDERAL AGENCY THAT OKAYED THE DEALS AT 94 PERCENT OF HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SPILLS INVOLVED TRUCKS NOT FREIGHT TRAINS.

>> IT IS NOT A PROBLEM CAUSED OR THE RESULT OF THIS MERGER.

IN FACT TO THE EXTENT HAZARDOUS MATERIALS CAN BE MOVED ON RAILS RATHER THAN ON HIGHWAYS WE ARE BETTER OFF THE MORE OF THAT TRAFFIC THAT IS MOVED RAIL TO.

>> IN A STATEMENT COMPANY LEADERS SAY IT WILL ENHANCE COMPETITION, HAVE IMPROVED RELIABLE RAIL SERVICE, TAKE DRUGS OFF OF PUBLIC ROADS AND IMPROVE REAL SAFETY.

BUT THE FEAR OF DERAILMENT IS BUILT MORE IN ELGIN WHERE THEY RUN ALONG THE FOX RIVER.

QUICK THE RIVER IS LIGHT I DON'T MEAN ANYBODY WHO DOES NOT THINK THE RIVER IS A WONDERFUL PLACE.

AND WORTHY OF PROTECTION.

>> TERRY FLICKS THAT DESPITE THE SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE THE INCREASE IN TRAFFIC AND CREATE A RISK.

>> ANYTIME THERE IS MORE OF SOMETHING IT IS MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN.

>> IT MAKES YOU THINK AN UNELECTED BODY.

I WOULD TELL THEM TO NOT PUT INDUSTRY FIRST.

NOT BELIEVE INDUSTRIES CLAIMED THEY ARE WORKING FOR THE BEST.

>> CHRISTIAN MURPHY SAID UPSET HOW FEDERAL REGULATORS APPROACH THE DEAL.

>> IT WAS INCREDIBLE VERY POWERFUL.

IN MY OPINION TOO MUCH SWAY I WILL NOT STOP FIGHTING.

>> NICK, WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?

>> Nick: ANY REQUEST TO STAY THE DECISION OR DO ON MONDAY.

AND A PETITION CALLING ON THE BOARD TO RECONSIDER ITS APPROVAL OF THE MERGER ARE DUE BY APRYL FOURTH.

THE COMPANY SAID IT PLANS TO CLOSE THE DEAL APRYL 14TH.

COALITION TO STOP DDKT SAY THEY ARE WEIGHING THEIR NEXT STEPS HERE BUT HAVE NOT YET DECIDED WHETHER THAT IS THE OPTION.

WHAT YOU ALLUDED TO THIS BUT TRAIN DERAILMENT AS BILLS ARE TOP OF MIND ON WHAT HAPPENED AFTER EAST PALESTINE.

A REMINDER TO THE ISSUE THAT ILLINOIS HAS HAD WITH THIS?

>> Nick: ABSOLUTELY, PARIS AS HER COLLEAGUE REPORTED EARLIER THIS MONTH THERE HAVE BEEN 272