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Illinois taps UP, Metra for Chicago-Rockford service
Hmmm! Confusing me. Last news said was going build a four lanes highway from Freeport to Galena, Ill. Another was going have passenger train from Rockford, Ill to Dubuque, Iowa. Let see who’ll build it first fast. still confusing me.
Overall good news, and long overdue. Just wish this had been up and running a couple of years ago before the I-90 reconstruction (until 2016) had started! But typical politics involved, especially for IL. Ex-gov/current fed convict Blago promised by 2009, no follow-up. UP Belvidere sub routing was decided upon, until mayor of Genoa complains to IDOT, then back to an all CN routing. CN demands upgrade to hardened 152 lb. platinum rails on 12 in. on center treated redwood ties, with passing sidings each 5 miles for once a day M337’s and M338’s or else, yet more nothing happens.
As far as reality, 59 mph for now is better than not at all…reliable service beats higher speed service that doesn’t happen reliably. From what we’ve heard from CN employees, it’s not unknown for them to take 8 hrs. to get a train from Hawthorne to downtown, let alone the 3 hrs. or so carded for Rockford to CUS, including the St. Charles Air Line back-up moves required. By the time the signaling is installed and running, the new IDOT sponsored Siemens locos and Nippon Sharyo cars will be coming on line and the multiple runs a day service starts becoming possible, too.
The ex-KD line option was considered for a separate Chicago-Rockford commuter rail project that seems to have died with the economy. Unfortunately, besides the parts not a bike trail have been plowed under or built on, and the ROW through Rock Cut State Park is underwater, requiring a few re-routes.
My question is why a main Rockford station isn’t being built just off the US 20 bypass at the Alpine Road interchange. The UP/CN lines are spitting distance apart there, the land was already donated, it’s less "threatening"and convenient for nearby populations, and the EPA signed off as the brownfield site being about ideal for a station/parking lot. Plus the rail passenger amenities are already there, i.e. gas stations, fast food, dry cleaners, etc.
As a side note, it’s semi-doubtful a flag st
This is very good news indeed. As for the connection between Metra (Milwaukee West) and UP (ex-CNW) near Big Timber, those lines run next to each other there and it would be easy to put in a connection there. However, that will require outbound trains crossing the inbound Metra track to get over to the UP track. A more elegant solution would be to connect UP with Metra inbound near the Big Timber station and connect Metra outbound with UP west of the bridge where the ex-Milwaukee line goes over the UP line. Only hitch is that moves a connection into ICE territory, but surely that could be worked out.
haven’t they flipped back and forth between the CN routing and the Metra routing at least twice? the Metra routing seems to me to be the best of any of the routings I’ve been aware of. I was at the IRM in 1987 and 1991 and if the difference in development I saw between those times is any indication at all, then the area has to be much more built up now and perhaps a stop is justified. I really think the IRM could get something out of this, say an unmanned platform for use at special times.
!!! Finally a answer to the question !!
Long overdue.
So much for a good route that would be great for all the colleges and universities in Dubuque. Now who will ride this train…tourists to Chicago? The only way they’ll remotely make bank on this route is if they put roadrailers on the end.
Great news. I’m sure the guys at Unionj will want a platform built. They may do it themselves or make a deal with Amtrak to get it done. When was the last time regular C&NW passenger trains served that line?
It’s too bad there will be no stop in Union. It sure would be something to take the train to the Illinois Railway Museum.
Service to Rockford…Great. rebuilding single track from Elgin to Rockford and new trains…Expensive. Why won’t they even consider extending the UP Northwest Metra Double and Triple track route west from Harvard on former KD line right of way? Using existing equipment that sits all night in Harvard, Crystal Lake and Barrington?
Nice to see that my hometown is finally going to get Amtrak back. And no surprise that CN was uncooperative. I am wondering what the suburban Chicago stop(s) will be? Also does this speed up the potential extension of Metra to Marengo? Finally some good news about this.
I have the 1926 Official Guide reprint copy and this route on the old CNW was definitely the way that Rockford and Freeport residents went to Chicago. They have several trains a day in that Guide with dining and parlor cars. The Illinois Central (now CN route) had much night service moving passengers, mail, and express to Iowa with little interest in Rockford and Freeport in 1926.
Also, remember that the route was paralleled by interurban service.
The last sentence of paragraph five says it all. Governor “I lied and want to make the tax increase permanent” gets to announce a major project in an election year. And UP loves it because they get a nice upgrade for their freight traffic at someone elses expense. Not to mention billing Amtrak for the future maintenance. Probably a smart idea staying off the UP main though to West Chicago. My scoot has less priority than a wayfreight on some nights.
That is a looong way on a single track to have to travel, I would think sidings would be added maybe doublebtrack the whole thing. Who would operate the trains? UP? Metra?
$14 million for a temporary station? What will the final station cost?
I hope this reporting is in error. I hope my financially challenged state is not spending $223 million to get one train a day in and out of Rockford.
A stop at the IRM would have more value after the 2nd (morning outbound, evening inbound) is started. Now, if we could get a frequency offering convenient connections to the St. Louis and Quincy lines.
Excellent! This is the best route to use and should have been fully pursued years ago. The route is more populated and is within a high growth corridor that should provide an ever increasing ridership base for years to come. Additionally, this route also has a shorter distance. Patrons can now also use a Metra transfer to make intermediate stops throughout the west/northwest suburbs; an option that the CN/ex-IC route did not provide. Another added bonus is that Ogilvie (ex-northwestern) station can be used as a back up terminal if Union Station cannot be accessed for whatever reason, or simply runs out of capacity. Let’s get it done! I most certainly will be using this service once it goes live.
Excellent! This is the best route to use and should have been fully pursued years ago. The route is more populated and is within a high growth corridor that should provide an ever increasing ridership base for years to come. Additionally, this route also has a shorter distance. Patrons can now also use a Metra transfer to make intermediate stops throughout the west/northwest suburbs; an option that the CN/ex-IC route did not provide. Another added bonus is that Ogilvie (ex-northwestern) station can be used as a back up terminal if Union Station cannot be accessed for whatever reason, or simply runs out of capacity. Let’s get it done! I most certainly will be using this service once it goes live.