How long did it take?quincunx wrote: ↑May 06, 2025Took the train up the Chicago for $51. Southwest wanted $337
I typically take evening trains and book ahead and regularly can get 27 dollars each way booking the flexible fare. Truly a steal!
Looks like some transportation grants still going forward including Springfield work. I do think that BidenHec's/Amtrak effort on Northeast Corridor left Chicago hanging whether it is the proposal work to improve infrastructure in & out of Union Station and or CREATE funding that might help with Joliet infrastructure. Just not sure but believe some of the Infrastructure funding hasn't been obligated but assume that Chicago is last place current POTUS would put funds.
https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... -projects/
The Federal Railroad Administration will receive funding for several initiatives, chief among them the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements. Six CRISI projects will receive a total of $221 million in federal grants, including:
https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... -projects/
The Federal Railroad Administration will receive funding for several initiatives, chief among them the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements. Six CRISI projects will receive a total of $221 million in federal grants, including:
- $157 million to the city of Springfield, Ill., for the final usable segment of the Springfield Rail Improvements Project, including construction of a Multimodal Transportation Center
From the president's budget proposal
Rail Safety and Infrastructure Grants
+400M
The Administration is committed to improving the safety, efficiency, and reliability of passenger and freight rail network. The tragic disaster in East Palestine, Ohio, which the previous administration failed to adequately respond to, illustrated the need for a significant investment in this sector. Therefore, the Budget provides $500 million for Rail Safety and Infrastructure grants, a 400-percent increase over 2025 levels, to improve the safety of America’s railways and to protect their neighboring communities.
Rail Safety and Infrastructure Grants
+400M
The Administration is committed to improving the safety, efficiency, and reliability of passenger and freight rail network. The tragic disaster in East Palestine, Ohio, which the previous administration failed to adequately respond to, illustrated the need for a significant investment in this sector. Therefore, the Budget provides $500 million for Rail Safety and Infrastructure grants, a 400-percent increase over 2025 levels, to improve the safety of America’s railways and to protect their neighboring communities.
Reuters - US railroad Amtrak cutting 450 positions, $100 million in annual costs
https://www.reuters.com/business/world- ... 025-05-07/
https://www.reuters.com/business/world- ... 025-05-07/
If you haven't already, I encourage everyone to take the Illinois High Speed Rail Survey. Speak for St. Louis. The regions representation is very limited, one representative.
https://s.surveyplanet.com/gd7r2pdc
https://s.surveyplanet.com/gd7r2pdc
- 2,419
I did this survey a few weeks ago.
I hope Illinois builds this, even if Missouri doesn't contribute and they force Missouri residents to cross the river to East St. Louis, IL to use it.
I hope Illinois builds this, even if Missouri doesn't contribute and they force Missouri residents to cross the river to East St. Louis, IL to use it.
I have a different opinion. I think this pipe dream is hurting Illinois more than anything. It should be doubling down on how to improve frequency, maybe add 2nd north south corridor and above all get existing Lincoln corridor service to 110-125. This is on top of a lot work that still has to be done within & untangle Chicago metro area rail and improve Metro East.RockChalkSTL wrote: ↑May 23, 2025I did this survey a few weeks ago.
I hope Illinois builds this, even if Missouri doesn't contribute and they force Missouri residents to cross the river to East St. Louis, IL to use it.
I took the survey too but I'm sympathetic to dredger's opinion. There are things that I wonder about with the existing UPRR tracks though, like could they be electrified over the long term? I think that'd be a crucial step somewhere in the future if they're trying to incrementally upgrade to faster, more frequent, trains.
- 2,419
What would you propose as a second north-south corridor?
I still would love to see Illinois and Missouri connect St. Louis with Carbondale, and therefore Memphis and New Orleans. Maybe add another station between, in Belleville or New Athens or something.
Edit: If St. Louis were also connected with Centralia, you could establish a second route between St. Louis and Chicago, with riders in St. Louis (or KC, Little Rock, etc.) able to directly go to places like Champaign-Urbana.
I still would love to see Illinois and Missouri connect St. Louis with Carbondale, and therefore Memphis and New Orleans. Maybe add another station between, in Belleville or New Athens or something.
Edit: If St. Louis were also connected with Centralia, you could establish a second route between St. Louis and Chicago, with riders in St. Louis (or KC, Little Rock, etc.) able to directly go to places like Champaign-Urbana.
- 2,419
Give me option #3.
It has the shortest travel time by fifteen minutes and goes through Champaign-Urbana, which I feel would provide more economically to Chicago and St. Louis than Bloomington/Normal.
It has the shortest travel time by fifteen minutes and goes through Champaign-Urbana, which I feel would provide more economically to Chicago and St. Louis than Bloomington/Normal.
They used to have this. One of the Missouri River Runner trains would continue to Centralia (with a stop in Belleville) and then the southbound City of New Orleans train would add the Missouri car to its consist.RockChalkSTL wrote: ↑May 23, 2025What would you propose as a second north-south corridor?
I still would love to see Illinois and Missouri connect St. Louis with Carbondale, and therefore Memphis and New Orleans. Maybe add another station between, in Belleville or New Athens or something.
Edit: If St. Louis were also connected with Centralia, you could establish a second route between St. Louis and Chicago, with riders in St. Louis (or KC, Little Rock, etc.) able to directly go to places like Champaign-Urbana.
Not sure what the source of the image is, appears amateur, but HSR Alliance included it on an instagram post highlight the IL HSR Commission.
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Looks like a concept made by that group.addxb2 wrote: ↑Jun 11, 2025Not sure what the source of the image is, appears amateur, but HSR Alliance included it on an instagram post highlight the IL HSR Commission.
https://www.hsrail.org/blog/the-case-fo ... -st-louis/
Half a mile to the Metrolink station? No thanks.
There's no new information on the Springfield Railroad website but demolition of the middle of the EPA building is visible on streetview so looks like the new Amtrak alignment through Springfield is definitely happening. I was worried about this segment because it's the only all new ROW for the project and included quite a bit of demolition. For anyone wondering, it will be a new ROW from the intersection of 10th and Phillips, straight north till it meets the rail line again at 10th St & Black Ave / Ridgely Avedredger wrote: ↑May 07, 2025$157 million to the city of Springfield, Ill., for the final usable segment of the Springfield Rail Improvements Project, including construction of a Multimodal Transportation Center
On Apr 2025 Streetview you can see the bus center on the east side of the tracks. Still platforms and platform access to do and all that on the west side of the tracks.
https://sangamonil.gov/thehub/home
https://sangamonil.gov/thehub/home
Will the Springfield rail project allow for any increases in speed along the line?
I should hope so, though since every train stops at the station, it's not likely to be a big time savings. What will save time is a proper platform making unboarding and boarding quicker.