"The roadbed and tracks have been rebuilt from the ground up, providing a buttery smooth ride. It sets a new standard that all tracks that carry passenger trains should meet. Improved sidings give passenger trains more flexibility to pass freight trains or meet opposing trains with less delay.
All the grade crossings have been rebuilt and improved, with gates that are harder to drive around and systems to detect trapped vehicles. There are also lots of improvements around the tracks, including rebuilt roads and sidewalks, plus attractive fences to protect tracks as they pass through towns…Trains are now pulled by brand-new locomotives that are clean and quiet, accelerate quickly, and are more reliable. And although we were due to be riding on new bi-level passenger cars be now, the delay to that project has a serious silver lining: We’ll instead be getting beautiful new single-level coaches like the ones passengers are raving about on Virgin Trains (Brightline) in Florida.
I don’t view the single level cars as an improvement or a success since they will carry less passengers per car and will reduce capacity. I would call it settling for second best out of desperation. Though if one looks at it as a high probability the Talgo will never run in the Midwest…that small part of it can be viewed as a victory.
I hope the Texas Eagle can take advantage of the higher speeds as well as reduce it’s stops (way too many) on the Chicago to St. Louis line too.
Pontiac is the location of a major prison in Illinois and a lot of families use the trains to come and see their family members that are currently guests of the state of Illinois at that location. Plus out of state family members use it as a location to come and see their family members also. The train does not stop at Dwight Carlinville is 60 miles south of Springfield in a remote area of Illinois that needs the connection.
Based on these numbers, Lincoln, Carlinville, and Pontiac would be candidates for skipping. Alton would not be, the 5th most popular city pair by ridership is Chicago to Alton, the only non Illinois/St. Louis city pair above it is Ft. Worth-Austin.
Though not the most convenient location, Alton can serve the wider car-oriented metro St.Louis area. That is, if it’s promoted so people know about it.