Englewood residents are concerned as Norfolk Southern plans railyard expansion
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A large rail yard on Chicago's South Side could soon get even bigger.
It's one of the main hubs for Norfolk Southern.
The company recently made headlines because of a toxic chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio. Now, as the company works to rebuild trust and build out their location in Englewood, some neighbors said they're furious with the expansion.
CBS 2's Shardaa Gray listened to their concerns and spoke one-on-one with the company's CEO.
"They can do whatever, long as I still live here, I'm staying here."
Seventy-three-year-old Gerald Myers Jr. plans to stand his ground. He has lived in his home since he was two. Myers said he got a letter from Norfolk Southern Railway company five years ago.
"The letter asked me if I wanted to sell my property and I said, 'thank you for asking, but no.'"
The company is taking over several South Side streets and alleys to continue its rail yard expansion
Norfolk Southern Railway said it's been in the Englewood neighborhood for 150 years. In 2013, it started in phases of expanding the 47th railway yard. In February of this year, they got the approval to expand for additional truck parking.
Some aldermen toured the 47th Street rail yard.
"What you see around us here is economic growth and high paying union jobs," said Alan Shaw, Norfolk Southern President and CEO.
"Norfolk Southern has not done right by the Englewood community."
Alderman Jeanette Taylor (20th), whose ward is included in the expansion, is furious about it and said she was in her ward when the company moved out a family.
"Which they took by eminent domain during COVID, when court was supposed to be closed. So Norfolk Southern is the monster that they're turning out to be."
CBS 2 asked CEO Alan Shaw his response to some who aren't in favor of the expansion.
"We invest in the communities that we serve. We hire locally," Shaw said.
But Englewood resident Lorraine Moore said she's seen the effects of the expansion.
"We have relatives who have been displaced by this movement, by this expansion. They tried to stand their ground; there's no such thing for Black folks in this community," Moore said.
