UPDATED: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 9:40 p.m.

Some in Waterloo think the high speed train that will one day pass through their city could divide it much like the Berlin Wall once divided Germany. That's because a huge fence could be put along the rail's corridor.

That was just one of the many concerns people expressed at Wednesday night's meeting.

Extra chairs were brought in and still people were left standing in the doorway and lining the halls at Wednesday night's informational meeting on high speed rail in Waterloo.

With no Department of Transportation reps on hand, it was up to city staff to try and explain what will happen when the first train rolls through town.

Many of the questions and concerns were about street closures and what would happen to property values along the rail's corridor.

Some called for reason and say the train will be a reality - so they might as well make the best of it.

Wayne Baumann says, "Lets use logic with the whole process. We can't fight the system...like they're saying lets do something that's good for us and let the railroad company pay the price."

The city's Fire Chief talked about how the train could delay emergency response times and how it could end up being a life or death issue.

Vern Butzine says, "Even cutting off some streets..two, three minutes all depends if you're having a heart attack...makes a heck of a difference."

Small business man Bob Rehm is worried about how the vibrations from the train could affect his antiques store.

Rehm says, "Is there going to be vibrations...I don't know...they aren't making antiques anymore."

There was a brief interruption as one man took a shot at Governor Doyle, blaming him for the problems the city is now facing and will have to adjust to... because as many expressed at the meeting there isn't a lot that can be done to stop the train.

City officials plan on taking ideas from tonight's meeting to the DOT. They want to work with them on coming up with solutions to some of the issues. But they recognize there is a finite amount of money available to address the problems. They plan on seeking outside funding for issues the DOT can't help with them with.

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Posted Sunday, January 31, 2010 7:00 p.m.

Could small towns end paying the ultimate price for high speed rail? A Waterloo man thinks so.

Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz says, "The first thing is we need to step back and understand what a great thing this is for Madison."

In 2013, a high speed rail line will connect Madison to Milwaukee. Before the first passenger even sets foot on one of the trains, the project, according to Governor Doyle, will create thousands of jobs in the state.

But not everyone likes the idea.

"Well it's going to have a dramatic impact on the life in town."

Sean Hennessy, a former council person in Waterloo, says during his tenure the city talked about what would happen if a train came through town.

It's because of that discussion he thinks the train will do more harm than good.

"Waterloo won't benefit at all."

Hennessy says his town won't make any money off of passengers because the train won't stop in Waterloo.

Hennessy's problem with the high speed rail isn't just the economics or in this case the lack there of. He's also concerned about the problems it will bring to residential areas.

"If those people would have to move if their going to condemn them if they're just going to say this is it I'll live here property values are going to go down through that corridor. "

Hennessy says the environment is also a concern for him. But he doesn't believe there's anything that can be done to fight it.

He just wants people in Madison and Milwaukee to consider what the train might do to some of the smaller towns it goes through.

Hennessy says ten years ago when this idea was tossed around he was told tickets would cost upwards of $50 round trip.

He fears that number may have gone up and he thinks that could affect how many people use the service.