Amtrak study looks very promising
- Font Size:
- Default font size
- Larger font size
By Times staff | Wednesday, January 09, 2008 |
“The 9:30 a.m. westbound Amtrak to Moline is leaving Chicago with stops in Naperville, Plano, Mendota, Princeton and Geneseo, arriving in Moline by 1 p.m. All aboard!”
We sure like the sound of that. A new Amtrak study shows precisely how Chicago to Quad-City passenger rail service might come about, where it would go and how much it would cost. The report suggests a route over Burlington Northern Santa Fe lines through Naperville would be the best way to go.
Huge hurdles remain, beginning with the $13.8 million to $22.4 million costs for equipment and track upgrades. Deals would need to be cut with railroads to fit passenger trains into the busy freight schedules on these tracks. Local money would have to be found to refurbish depots here and along the route, which isn’t an Amtrak responsibility.
This initial report suggests 90,000 to 110,000 passengers would use the preferred Chicago to Quad-City rail service each year. A one-way ticket is estimated to cost $19.
Amtrak still is studying service across Iowa to Chicago, which likely would rely on this proposed Q-C connection and no doubt increase the passenger projections in the Quad-City study.
We commend the diligent delegation organized through the Illinois Quad-City Chamber of Commerce for encouraging continued research. We’re lucky to have open minded Iowa-Interstate Rail Service and Burlington Northern-Santa Fe leaders who remain receptive to passenger service, even as their freight schedules keep getting busier.
This promising rail service could be a lifeline to northern Illinois towns, putting Chicago and the Quad-Cities in easy, affordable reach for business and pleasure travelers. That broad appeal suggests a unified coalition of northern Illinois legislators could help secure the state money for the track and equipment upgrades. We hope Quad-City lawmakers are at the forefront of that coalition.
Of course, conditions in Springfield make the prospect of any funding agreement daunting. Illinois lawmakers can barely convene a meeting, let alone hold productive discussions.
But perseverance has paid off for Quad-City passenger rail advocates. Many believed the rails weren’t in good enough shape for passenger traffic. Then they thought freight schedules might not allow it. Then they thought improvements would be prohibitively expensive.
Each of those hurdles has been cleared. Anyone still skeptical should read the report. Then join us in exclaiming, “All aboard for passenger rail service to the Quad-Cities.”
NEXT UP
Later this month, Amtrak will release its study of Iowa City to Chicago passenger service, which would add even more passenger potential to a Quad-City to Chicago line.
Later this year, Amtrak will complete a study on Chicago through Des Moines service that will do the same.
Learn more
Find a summary of the Amtrak study at qctimes.com/multimedia.
The Quad-City Rail Passenger Association is a rapidly growing 2,800 member group. Learn more at qcrail.com, or a the group's Facebook site.
del.icio.us
Digg
NewsVine
Fark
reddit» More Opinion Stories
- The nation is watching
- Caucus campaign memories that won't fade
- Diabolical Internet spins information, opinions out of control
- Top 10 stories with comments
- Democracy faces tough days, but don't give up
- U.S. military involvement in Africa needs a mission and goals
- This Arsenal mission needs smart collaboration
Highest Rated Articles from the last 7 Days
- Technology News Articles
- Computers, MP3, Phones & More. See Product Pics, Specs & Reviews.
- www.NexTag.com
- Cheap Airfare
- Compare multiple travel sites. Discount web fares made easy.
- www.LowFares.com
- Promoter's Arsenal - Article Equalizer
- Content Generator For Your Website. Download fee, today only $97.00.
- promotearsenal.com/article
- Ads by Yahoo!
