The Illinois Service, branded Amtrak Illinois, comprises three passenger rail routes operated by Amtrak in the American state of Illinois. The Illinois Service is funded primarily by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and falls under the broader Amtrak Midwest brand.
Chicago is a terminus for all three Illinois Service routes, which all have multiple daily round trips:
- Chicago–Quincy: two round trips daily, the Illinois Zephyr and the Carl Sandburg[1]
- Chicago–St. Louis Lincoln Service: four round trips daily and the only route that serves another state[2]
- Chicago–Carbondale: two round trips daily, the Illini and the Saluki, and the only route whose trains have checked baggage service[1]
Proposed expansion edit
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Two proposed Illinois Service routes have been accepted by the Corridor Identification and Development Program, both in December 2023:
- Chicago–Peoria Prairie Marksman via Joliet, Morris, Ottawa, and LaSalle-Peru[3]
- Chicago–Moline Quad Cities: uses the existing Chicago–Quincy route between Chicago and Princeton, branching from it west of Wyanet to serve the Quad Cities via Geneseo[4]
The Quad Cities and the Rockford-Chicago portion of the Black Hawk were to have been added in late 2015[5] but were put on hold by then-Governor Bruce Rauner.[6] They were resurrected and funded in 2019 as part of a transportation bill supported by Governor J.B. Pritzker.[7] In 2023, Pritzker announced that the Rockford-Chicago train will be operated by Metra.[8]
In addition to the two new routes, a committee was formed in late 2021 to study and promote extending the Chicago–Quincy route to Hannibal, Missouri.[9]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b "Governor Blagojevich Announces Amtrak Carl Sandburg to Start Running October 30th". Amtrak. National Railroad Passenger Corporation. October 8, 2006. Archived from the original on March 11, 2007. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
- ^ "Governor Blagojevich Announces Amtrak Lincoln Service to Start Running October 30th". Amtrak. National Railroad Passenger Corporation. October 14, 2006. Archived from the original on March 12, 2007. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
- ^ Rodriguez, Jolie (December 7, 2023). "Peoria a step closer to Amtrak passenger rail service". 25 News. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ Doxsee, Alec (December 7, 2023). "Quad Cities-Chicago rail corridor receives $500K grant". WQAD. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ Bowen, Douglas John (December 5, 2013). "NARP: New Amtrak Midwest routes advance". Railway Age. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Inc. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ "Rauner puts plan for Amtrak service from Chicago to Rockford on hold". ABC 7. February 8, 2015. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ "Rail group celebrates 'big win' for Amtrak line from QC to Chicago". WQAD.com. October 23, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ Neveau, James (July 6, 2023). "Metra to restore rail service between Rockford, Chicago for first time in 40 years". NBC 5 Chicago. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ Edlund, Clare (January 4, 2022). "Hannibal coalition works to attract downtown Amtrak station". WGEM. Retrieved May 13, 2024.