The report concluded that the century-old Rock Island depot, which is in the heart of downtown near the Court Avenue District, is still the best place for people in the Des Moines area to get on and off passenger trains…
It could be at least six or seven years, however, before Des Moines’ residents see rail passenger service again, Lyons said.
Iowa Interstate President Dennis Miller said his company supports the restoration of rail passenger service in Des Moines, and he agreed the old depot would be a good choice for a station.
The lobbying for passenger service continues to chase state and federal money on a route currently not served. Does having terminals available make a better case than locally grown food in the diner?
The best way to get rail service returned to your area is to fund it yourself. North Carolina is one of several states that have partnered with Amtrak to increase rail service locally.
This current discussion is pretty much based on the Chicago/Quad Cities/Iowa City portion for which the funding request was for some $245 Million.
Is there a move afoot to increase the proposed route to terminate in DesMoines?
If so is there a specific routing recommended?
There is a somewhat similar activity taking place her in Kansas to somehow incorporate the Wichita area in a new service via Wichita. Two plans being considered. One with a termination in Newton,Ks. or to go on to the Kansas City area for termination. It is being studied by KDOT’s contractor Parsons-Brinkerhoff. Results som
The OP’s link leads to a server that is down for maintenance, so I couldn’t read the piece being referred to. However, service to Iowa City is very much a project of Iowa’s current Governor, who is currently loosing his bid for reelection. Perhaps the Chicago/Iowa City project is far enough along that it will occur, but I have very strong doubts there exists significant support for a train west of Iowa City.
Would be nice to see happen but I’m becoming more and more doubtful as time passes. When I look at the money it’s going to take to get the IAIS in shape for that kind of service again I’m more and more convinced that any future service belongs on UP’s “Overland Route” mainline.
The long range talk has always been to extend the service to Des Moines, and maybe on to Omaha.
Iowa City, being only about 55/60 miles from the Quad Cities probably made that an easier sell to the powers that be at Amtrak and the State of Iowa. I don’t know if the IC extension is a done deal. It could very well be that any rail passenger service, outside of the two thru train routes, will die if the current governor becomes the former governor. (If that happens, it’s because the former governor becomes the current governor.) Even if he holds on, the change in the makeup of the state legislature could delay or end any rail psgr projects.
No shortage of support for highway projects, though.
The Iowa governor race sort of resembles the old “Who is on first” comedy routine!
If you divide Iowa vertically into thirds, the western third only contains about a fifth of the population. Indeed, the only city of any size between Des Moines and Council Bluffs on the Rock Island/Iowa Interstate is Atlantic (population 7200). Indeed, in the late 30’s this was the only stop of the Rocky Mountain Rocket between Des Moines and Council Bluffs.
On that basis In would find it very hard to advocate a Chicago to Omaha train on this route.