As you may have read in today’s Journal Star, I’ve started a grassroots organization for the purpose of advocating for passenger rail service between Peoria and Chicago. It’s called the Peoria Passenger Rail Coalition, and it’s free to join.
I talk to a lot of people who would like to have train service in Peoria, but there doesn’t seem to be any kind of organized effort to quantify the demand. That’s a problem, because if our elected officials think there isn’t much demand, they won’t appropriate the money for renewed rail service. So, the purpose of the organization is to raise public awareness of the benefits of passenger rail service to the Peoria region, gain public support for passenger rail service, and successfully persuade state and federal lawmakers to appropriate the necessary funds to make passenger rail service to Peoria a reality.
Here’s some more information from an article I wrote last year for InterBusiness Issues:
Why Bring Amtrak to Peoria?
Amtrak ridership is up nationwide, and Illinois is no exception to that trend. Amtrak reports that ridership on trains between Chicago and St. Louis “was up 16.5 percent in Fiscal 2008 over 2007. Ridership increased 18.5 percent on the Chicago-Carbondale route, was up 19.8 percent on the Chicago-Quincy route, and grew 25.9 percent on the Hiawathas.” This trend continues in 2009. In January, ridership between Chicago and St. Louis was up 12 percent over the same period in 2008, according to figures released by IDOT. [Update: The trend continues even in 2010, with monthly ridership levels 11 to 20 percent higher than 2009.]More people are choosing to travel by train, and more communities are requesting passenger rail access. Amtrak recently completed studies on adding train service to Rockford and the Quad Cities. Peoria, with the third-largest metropolitan statistical area in the state—over 370,000 residents—would be a natural addition as well.
Restoring passenger rail service to Peoria would connect our population to the national rail transportation system. Travelers from Peoria could go anywhere in the U.S. that Amtrak serves—and just as importantly, travelers from all over the U.S. could come to Peoria. Peorians traveling to Chicago by train would benefit from low fares (significantly cheaper than the cost of driving to and parking in Chicago) and no traffic congestion. By leaving the “driving” to Amtrak, transit time can be used for work or leisure. Likewise, college students, businessmen and women, and tourists will find Amtrak to be a convenient way to travel to Peoria and enjoy our community. Bringing Amtrak and its ridership into the community will have a positive economic impact on the region.
There are also environmental benefits to passenger rail service. The U.S. Department of Energy found that Amtrak is more energy-efficient than either automobile or commercial air travel. “Amtrak energy intensity was 2,935 British Thermal Units (BTUs) per passenger-mile and commercial airlines were 3,587. Commuter rail was 2,751 and automobiles were 3,549 BTUs,” according to the DOE’s Transportation Energy Data Book. By taking the train, we can lower the carbon footprint of our trips. It is simply more energy-efficient to take the train directly from Peoria than to drive to Chicago, or even Normal or Galesburg, to catch the train there.
Nationally, a greater emphasis is being placed on sustainable transportation networks—with less dependence on the automobile, and thus, less oil consumption and dependence on imported oil—and passenger rail is part of that national strategy. Last October, Congress passed and the president signed the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, which authorized $13.1 billion for Amtrak over the next five years. The recent stimulus bill included $1.3 billion in additional Amtrak funding, as well as $8 billion for high-speed rail. Locally, Senator Durbin has been supportive of adding new service to Illinois cities and improving existing service, and the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission’s long-range transportation plan lists as a top priority: “connect with Amtrak.”
Finally, consider that transportation is an essential service, imperative for the safety and mobility of Illinois citizens. Improving our transportation options improves our overall infrastructure, and our economy benefits from the jobs brought by infrastructure improvement. The economy is also helped by making our city more attractive to potential employers and employees, who are increasingly looking for greener cities in which to live and work.
I’m hopeful that we can convince community leaders to settle for nothing less than reestablishing direct rail service between Peoria and Chicago. Unfortunately, the trend lately has been toward a lesser goal: connecting Peoria with Normal. It seems the community leaders are now seriously considering train service that would simply go from Peoria to the Normal Amtrak station, at which point passengers will have to disembark and wait for a connecting train to complete their trip. That’s a recipe for failure.
There are many benefits of taking a train to Chicago: it’s cheaper than parking and avoids a lot of traffic congestion, just to name a couple. But what benefits are there of taking a train to Normal? Parking is free and there’s no congestion between our two towns. Instead of saving time, it would actually add time to the trip. That alone will depress ridership. But ridership would also be low because there’s not much population on the Norfolk Southern line that runs between Peoria and Bloomington. A train from Peoria to Chicago could hit many underserved communities, picking up much needed ridership.
The fact is, people don’t want to take a train to Normal. They want to take a train to Chicago. You wouldn’t want to take a flight to Bloomington’s airport and switch planes to continue on to Chicago, but that’s exactly the kind of service that’s being considered for passenger rail. I hope this disastrous plan for new rail service is abandoned, and direct rail service to Chicago is once again pursued.
If you feel the same way, I would encourage you to add your voice to the coalition.
I support this, CJ. We need rail service to Chicago. It is inane that it hasn’t already happened.
Great idea and DONE!
Too bad that the trail Nazi’s would rather jerk all tracks out and make bike trails that few will really ever use. The higher the price of oil, the more rail use will be utilized. Now is the time to act on it.
Totally behind you!! Thanks for bringing this front and center. We have a great service in Peoria Charter Coach but it is slow and cramped. The train is sleek and fast and takes us to the heart of downtown Chicago. It also usually has a diner car with hot coffee, snacks, and spacious tables with window views. As someone who regularly rode the train between Chicago, Bloomington, and Springfield as a college student I can attest that riding the rail is fun, relaxing, inexpensive (if you call early) and efficient. Driving one’s car to Normal, waiting for the train to Chicago, and wondering if you car will still have windows when you get back, just isn’t as much fun. If someone has to drive you to Normal forget any efficiencies. High speed rail is what is needed. Didn’t Obama espouse this months ago? Guess a few things, oil spill, joblessness, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, have slowed down the train. Hope he gets back on soon.
There have been events in Chicago I would have attended had I been able to get there some way other than trying to drive myself. I’m in .
Rocket n’roll! Alllll aboard!
Here is an idea to piggyback on:
The City of Ottawa is about to engage in a state-funded $400,000 planning study to bring commuter rail to La Salle and Grundy Counties. If the old Peoria Rocket route were utilized, the envisioned service could be extended to Peoria. It is uncertain that Metra is supporting La Salle County’s efforts (there are about 4 or 5 projects ahead of this one in the pipeline) so I think a hybrid Amtrak/commuter service (such as is being pursued by city of Rockford in parallel with the restoration of Chicago-Dubuque service) might be a realistic option. But it will take a real push by Peoria’s civic interests to put together a coalition that will work.
Also, the two parties would mutually benefit by coalescing around a Peoria-Chicago route using the RI trackage rather than a link to Bloomington-Normal; La Salle County will not benefit much from a Peoria to B-N link, and Peoria would not benefit from a link that ended in Ottawa or La Salle-Peru. But having two strong cheerleaders for a project that benefits both might provide added momentum to get this done.
City of Ottawa contact info:
Tami Huftel
City Planner
301 West Madison Street
Ottawa, Illinois 61350
815-433-0161 Phone ext. 40
815-433-2344 Fax
planning@cityofottawa.org
Like it a lot!
Problem with this post is that it makes sense.
Politicians in this area won’t support ANYTHING that actually makes sense.
Good solid data & stats to back it up….. so? You’ve already lost me.
Now… if you get a couple of econ Bradley professors to help you manipulate the data, find a way to stick the tax payers with ANOTHER huge bill, explain how this will benefit the entire area, without really explaining how this will benefit the entire area… you may have something here.
If you are going to get ‘organized,’ we are going to need some of Peoria’s best and brightest talent. What we need is a group of people who know ……. EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING!
Wonder if Ransberg is available to ‘give back’ just a little more…?
I agree Peoria to Chicago is the best rout to go.
One thing to keep in mind is the railroads that own the line have to be on board to allow passenger service on the lines that the trains will be running on. So yes the old Rock Island line would be the best way to go but you have the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad (to get to down town Peoria), the Iowa Interstate, and CSX to deal with. The last I heard the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad wasn’t to keen to having passenger trains on their line.
One example of a railroad not wanting passenger service on a line is the old Santa Fe line from Galesburg to Chicago. When Burlington Northern and the Santa Fe merged to become BNSF one of the first things BNSF did was kick Amtrak off the old Santa Fe line from Galesburg to Chicago. Those trains then were rerouted over the old Burlington Northern line from Galesburg to Chicago.
I’m all for Peoria getting passenger service and I think it should already have it but like I have said the railroads have to be on board too. I don’t believe I have read anywhere where they have agreed on this project.
I think this is a great idea.
Use government authority and money to build a rail corridor. Seeing as rail is clearly not a viable transportation mode, as evidenced here in Peoria, this corridor can then be converted to what Illinois really needs, which is another bicycle-hiking trail. Imagine a biking-hiking trail running the whole length of the Illinois river. It could be the Appalachian trail of the Midwest. For those few who ‘insist’ on some sort of rail connection, a spur to the West to Galesburg or to the East to Normal could be built too. Really tho, it is mostly a waste of money.
Looking at the picture from the other angle is that Peoria to Chicago is also Chicago to Peoria. This will bring people to the museum and the civic center and to stay over at the new Mariott Hotel. Money coming into our area instead of going out. I know I’ve made this statement before and no one listened. This passenger train will BRING US MONEY. Money that we badly need to support all these projects. People coming into Peoria are going to need to stay overnight, shop, eat, visit, attend functions in downtown Peoria. Lets get them here. Support this passenger train movement for our own benefit. All of this money being spent here will benefit us because that is the tax money for purchases they will be making here for the museum and other things that you and I are currently paying. Bring the visitor and their pocket books to downtown Peoria same as they want us to come to downtown Chicago with ours. Lets hope that the powers that be in this area see this as income and jump on the train and get it here.
And we will need passenger rail to chauffeur in all the throngs of people to see the new museum or the wealth of entertainment at the civic center and then stay at the Wonderful Development. Sorry, just couldn’t contain myself. I, for one, would head to Chicago more often if I had this option. Can it go to St. Louis, too?
… seriously tho, direct rail from Chicago to Peoria is long overdue. I favor the route that brings the station downtown. Ideally it should be in close proximity to the citilink bus station. There really shouldn’t be any other alternative. This is how it is done in Europe and the rest of the world with much success.
Further down the road, we could push for a route that follows the I-74 corridor, crossing at the same station downtown.
“This will bring people to the museum and the civic center and to stay over at the new Mariott Hotel.”
SD… you are too funny.
“Let’s go to Peoria to see the cardboard river at their museum and watch the Cubs farm team play… INSTEAD of REAL museums here and THE Cubs. We can go to their Civic Center and see Milli Vanilli cover bands OR stay here and see The Rolling Stones or ANYONE who is a real band.”
The only reason anyone from Chicago comes to Peoria is if they are running from the Chicago Police.
I’ll back it if you propose the station in East Peoria, because, let’s face it, that’s where it has the greatest chance of success.
Actually, there is a good stream of Chicago area people who come down to the Riverboat and play Weaver Ridge while down here. We are a Chicago golf and gambling destination.
Right. They come here because there are no casinos in Chicago or golf courses… and who can’t look forward to the 2 1/2 hour drive each way?
Hey, anonymous 150 observer… do you really believe this stuff you write or is it all just fun and games?
I read a good blog the other day – here’s the link: http://peoriachronicle.com/2010/06/11/peorias-priority-problem/
How fast will this train be? I think for it to be successful it will need to also be faster than driving. Also along with needing a direct line to Chicago(a priority) I think a line to Bloomington wouldn’t be a bad idea either. There are quite a few jobs in Bloomington that I think people could consider if peoria and bloomington were connected by a fast railsystem.
CJ, I joined the coalition mailing list. I too believe that rail would be a more convenient and environmentally sustainable method of regional transport. On average, working families are spending nearly 30% of their incomes on transportation, a staggering realization in the midst of a recession. That’s just the purely selfish economic negative, before even considering time spent in traffic, pollution, health costs, etc. (For instance, the new APHA report estimates the health impacts from our dependence on the automobile may cost the U.S. as much as several hundred billion dollars per year, including such things as traffic crashes, obesity, and air pollution). I believe that most people do not even begin to realize how inefficient, expensive, and harmful transportation by automobile is. That 30% of our income gets spent in many places: insurance, gas, loan payments; and habit is always a confounding blindfold.
I never understood why Peoria removed passenger rail, let Bloomington have the north/south interstate between Chicago and Springfield, and isolated itself from Chicago and the rest of Illinois. Although I would use and enjoy a train to Bloomington/Normal, I agree that the first priority should be restoring the north/south route between Chicago and Peoria, which could certainly run through Ottawa.
When Ray LaHood gave his speech at the PCBA Lincoln Memorial Banquet in February, he talked about focusing on passenger rail infrastructure. However, he discussed only a route through Bloomington, unfortunate since he was delivering a speech in Peoria. We should not let Bloomington displace Peoria again.
With regard to the bike trail on old rail lines, I believe our primary focus should be on creating and maintaining ubran bike routes, rather than rural bike trails focused more on recreation. We need to adjust our perception to view biking and walking as a car replacement, rather than as recreation or sport. I certainly appreciate some of the off road routes that bypass city traffic to allow bike travel through the city. However, the more critical issue is the design of Peoria’s infrastructure, and allowing for pedestrian and bicycle access to necessities such as work, shopping and public services. Few destinations even have bike racks, let alone viable access routes. I was at Metro Centre this weekend, and was struck by how truly terrible its design was. The pedestrian portico could be nice, but instead is smack up against the traffic lane, and a mad dash away from the parking lot where 99.999% of the shoppers have cars parked. One shopkeeper told me that in the rain the cars drive by so fast that water splashes on the store windows – not the conditions most conducive to walking. And good luck finding a pleasant and safe route to walk or ride on University to get there in the first place. The lone bike rack is in front of the bike store, surrounded by a sea of car infested asphalt. Yet with a more intelligent design, Metro Centre could be a pleasant place to stroll amongst the little specialty shops and the farmer’s market (though it’s admittedly not as good as the riverfront market).
Peoria is a city of such short distances, it is a waste to build every development as an island in a sea of automotive infrastructure. If we are seriously committed to environmental sustainability and reviving our city, we must rethink our priorities. Getting passenger rail for regional travel, and creating bike routes and pedestrian friendly access for local destinations within the city, are two places we should start.
Garth-
@ charlie
A rail line would still go in both directions. Although you may disparage Peoria’s attractions in comparison to Chicago’s, urban residents do have reasons to travel to smaller regional cities. Peoria is not without its charms and resources, and a few of its marketing attempts have been successful. For example, Wildlife Prairie State Park would be worth a visit to some people, and the IHSA sports events always bring a number of visitors. And there is always Grandview Drive – hey, if it was good enough for Roosevelt…
Moreover, connection is not just about tourists. Business and industry also desire transportation connections. Bloomington’s development has certainly benefited from Peoria’s surrender of rail and highway routes. To me, the question of travel from Chicago is less about what Peoria has now, than what rail could bring in the future. And really, I still care more about being able to get to Chicago myself than Chicagoans being able to get to Peoria!
@ Bob
The current discussions at the state and federal levels focus on high speed rail. However, I for one would not mind a slightly increased travel time to Chicago if I could make the trip sitting on a train engaged in some activity, such as working or reading, other than driving. I agree that a Bloomington line would not be bad. I certainly would use it when business requires me to travel to Bloomington. However, I believe the focus should be a north/south route to Chicago. As others have suggested, Chicago travel will be discouraged by a stopover in Bloomington, and a route to Chicago opens more possibilities than a route to Bloomington.
Garth-
Charlie, why are you such an ass? If you don’t think Chicagoans come here for gambling and golf, call and ask Jerry Weaver or call the Par-a-dice. Call them now.
You are such a bore.
Charlie, my BIL and 3 friends come down from the ‘burbs to play golf here every year… they spend 2 nights in a hotel & play 2-3 rounds at different courses than it is to play 1 round up there
Boys, boys, boys…………….
Golf and gambling……….cool, but lets not loose sight of what is important here. Rail service from Peoria to Chicago would be beneficial to the entire area.
Now, if we can only find a way to divert some of the cash and political clout away from the money-pit projects Peoria City Council, etc., seems to be busy with, we might get something done!
I would love to see rail service. Let’s not say, though, that people from Chicago never come downstate. It happens all the time, both for business and pleasure.
To say it doesn’t is just being foolish and/or misinformed—or plain disingenuous.
Thanks Garth. I agree with the need to not go through Bloomington. Although what they are calling high speed rail I wouldn’t necessarily call high speed. But I guess it makes for good sound bites. If your destination is right around Union station then a slower commute time isn’t that big of a deal. But if you want to get to other parts of town using public transit then I think the train will have to make up for having to use them instead of driving.
I have never found that driving to Chicago improved my commute time within the city. Either you have to deal with city traffic and parking, or take the public transit anyway. You always have to add time to your estimated drive time, assuming you don’t hit construction and horrible traffic on 55 as well.
Better yet, combine the train and bike aspects of my post – take a bike with you (maybe one of those folding types) on the train and avoid all the hassles. Plus you get the speed. Whenever they have those car/public transit/bike contests in cities to see which is fastest, the cyclist always wins.
High speed is relative, of course – anything seems fast when compared with nothing, and a 100 mph train is fast compared to a 65 mph limit highway. But we just don’t have the infrastructure yet for 200 mph bullet trains. Europe and Asia have been developing their train infrastructure for decades. Give it some time. Even at 100 mph, Chicago would be less than 2 hours away. And you could read or work on the way!
Garth-
Oh yeah, those boys coming down from Chicago to eat the shrimp at Weaver Ridge and stay at the Cambridge Inn, That is keeping the lights on. As for people coming here to gamble on our boat, it is bus loads of old people who like the idea of an all day trip with a lunch at Starve Rock on the way down for $15 a person. People are not steaming down here from Chicago for entertainment. Train service would be nice but Peoria won’t support it because those that use the train will be people who want the trip on the rail, not because it’s the best way to go. I’d use it because I could drink in the club car on the way up, roam around the loop, and sleep on the way back. Anyone seriously needing to get to Chicago or to Peoria simply drives.
BTW 150, I called the Par-A-Dice and they say if Chicagoans are coming here to gamble, then not enough of them are making it. Their numbers are down.
Randall, you are wrong. Peorians want rail and will support it. Get on board and help with this effort.
4 guys come to Peoria twice a year!
150 anonymous observer: I wouldn’t be surprised if a couple of city slickers come down here thinking they can take advantage of the rubes in Paradice’s state of the art poker room.
Instead of asking me to DISPROVE your assertion, how about you back it up with some stats… as if there were any…
and BTW, WLPP is losing its funding. It may not be here much longer.
And Grand View Drive? Are you serious? Half the drive gives them Starved Rock. A better view and MORE attractions and recreational events.
“Peorians want”
LOL
Which Peorians? The same ones that one a new hotel and a cardboard river museum… WITHOUT an IMAX?
Nice laydown Charlie.
People living in Chicago coming to Peoria to attend Bradley or work here, etc.. Peorians going to Chicago to work etc,. Daily commutes back and forth is what is going to make this work. This is not something that will survive just fantasy trips for shopping in Chicago or coming to the Paradice. We have Bradley, CAT, three hospitals and many other things to bring people here on a daily commute. Same as Chicago has their assets also for daily commutes. The icing on the cake is the fantasy trips for shopping, dining and other entertainment. So we can have it all if we support this project. This will bring money to Peoria.
“This will bring money to Peoria.”
WOW.
Do you think that there are more people commuting on a daily basis than it would take to run the train?
Oh, 150 observer, thanks, when you got all the trump, there is no point in playing it out…
Yup, Charlie, as usual when you have no basis for argument you simply lay down. I expect nothing less from you but complete surrender. You didn’t disappoint me.
(Actually the expression “a laydown” means a winning hand.)
Actually, no it doesn’t. It means you quit on your argument because you really didn’t have one.
You are the king of laydowns, making outlandish statements and than when obviously wrong, you aren’t man enough to simply say: “Maybe I overstated my case”. One judge of a man is one who measures his words and, when he doesn’t, can admit he was wrong. Massive fail by you here.
charlie: People will come to Peoria when they have business here. The more infrastructure we have, the easier it will be to get here. Transportation infrastructure promotes economic development. Rail seems a more economically and environmentally friendly way to travel than by car.
Agree 100% Billy.
Chris, you are obviously a lazy, fat-ass who can’t get off the couch if you want rails to be used – not torn up for more trails.
/snark
“Laydown – A position where all the remaining tricks are easily attainable.”
I usually overstate my positions… how could you not understand that?
Billy, should people build businesses that people would want to come and see, and therefor create a demand for infrastructure… or should the taxpayers pay for infrastructure JUST IN CASE someone decides to build a business? And when those businesses don’t materialize keep your taxpayers paying for the same infrastructure boondoggles until they decide to move to Morton or Brimfield?
“Billy, should people build businesses that people would want to come and see, and therefor create a demand for infrastructure… or should the taxpayers pay for infrastructure JUST IN CASE someone decides to build a business? And when those businesses don’t materialize keep your taxpayers paying for the same infrastructure boondoggles until they decide to move to Morton or Brimfield?”
Well if you are talking about spending taxpayer money to go see a card board cutout of some native americans paddling down a plastic river then walking up the street to stay in a 2-3 star Hampton Inn on steroids that was built by taxpayer money, I would rather go with the investment of using taxpayer dollars to pay for improving our roads, rails, and other traffic infrastrucutre that is actually used by everyday Peorians, daily, while providing the proper atmoshphere to not only encourage small local businesses but also entice larger developers.
Hmmmmmm…..
The museum is a hot-and-heavy issue with the J Star again. A museum supporter posted that the ‘anti-museum’ group keeps whining about paying a ‘few’ extra tax dollars for a ‘project’ that is sure to bring back a ‘little’ economic prosperity to Peoria [area].
I responded that its not paying a ‘few’ extra tax dollars that makes people upset, its how the tax dollars are being spent!!
You would be hard-pressed to develop any kind of a coherent argument as to why rail service from Peo-Chicago would not prove beneficial to the entire area. I wouldn’t mind seeing a ‘few’ of my tax dollars go towards developing this service.
What scares me….? Local govt. can’t take a dump without wasting millions on research and ‘studies’ before deciding to get in gear. Maybe if C.J. and his group of railroad ‘rabble-rousers’ were placed in charge of oversight, the rail project would stand a chance.
Big question: where does Ray stand with all of this?
I’m not sure why we need an entirely new route paralleling the old Rocket service when we could just branch off from the mainline at Bloomington-Normal. I’d rather see the state save money and upgrade 40 miles of track from Peoria to Bloomington instead of 120 miles of new track paralleling the Illinois River.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be a shuttle service that requires a transfer. We could have dedicated Chicago-Peoria trains that simply branch from the line at Normal. This also opens up train transfers to St. Louis, which following the old Rocket route doesn’t allow for.
There’s a similar grass-roots movement for Chicago-St. Louis true high-speed rail (Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/StlChiHighSpeedRail ), not just the 110mph planned upgrades. I fear we’re falling into the same trap we always accuse Chicagoans of doing, focusing everything in this state as being Chicago-centric and not giving a second thought to downstate affairs.
Fact of the matter is, we have over a million residents here in central Illinois within a two-hour drive of each other: Peoria (metro pop: 375k), Springfield (metro pop: 208k), Bloomington-Normal (metro pop: 150k), Decatur (metro pop: 115k) and Champaign-Urbana (metro pop: 210k). Three of those five (Springfield, Champaign, Bloomington) already have direct rail connections to Chicago, and Bloomington has already made itself a transportation hub boasting three interstates, US 51, and the second-busiest Amtrak station in Illinois behind only Union Station in Chicago.
These cities were originally founded on intercity rail links such as the Illinois Traction lines tying them all together. Getting to Chicago would be great no matter what the route is, but if we could get to Chicago while linking central Illinois together, I think that’d be even better. Linking Peoria and Bloomington ties in half a million people right there that we could use to market our area to higher-profile companies and retailers.
I favor a Peoria vicinity route on Amtrak. I have traveled often to Bloomington/Normal and Princeton to catch trains to Chicago. The trains can be late, sometimes incredibly late. I would like to have a stop along the way rather than be stuck along the way. Buses to Chicago are also problematic because there is no parking at the Peoria bus stops (Bradley University and downtown CityLink).
Hey I am in favor of Amtrak or whatever in Peoria to Chicago rail service. I posted here before I would use it but IF YOU READ my post I said this and I also said I don’t think enough Peorians would use it to support it. When I was a kid, my dad and I took the Rocket to Chicago all the time. He was a model train hobbist and liked the trains and bought special parts at hobby model stores in the Loop.
Like I said, if you want to go to Chicago, most people simply drive. I drive there 2 to 3 times a month no sweat for my job. I would love to take a weekend and take the train up and back.
Sterling’s point is one I made to Steve Tarter: You can run the trains via Bloomington-Normal, but don’t make passengers change trains there.
Now I need to be picky. The “Peoria train history” timeline (which Tarter partially credits to me) in the print edition contains an error. It says:
1891 – The Chicago and Rock Island Railroad built the Rock Island depot.
This was probably from a Bill Adams columm. The “Chicago and Rock Island Railroad” had started using the “Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad moniker in 1866, 25 years earlier. Also, the downtown Rock Island depot was built in 1900, not 1891. At the time, in fact, the Rock Island was still using an older depot that they built in 1866. The Rock Island vacated this depot in 1892 in favor of P&PU’s Union Depot.
I have to say that direct rail service to St Louis – via IAS up the river – and Chicago – via the UP thru Pekin – would be the bomb. Having to change trains in BN, not so much.
Those interested in the issue of creating hi-speed rail service in Illinois…
I came across a video clip of Senator-Elect Barack Obama at a Town Hall Meeting at the Peoria Library in November, 2004. Someone asked him the question about this issue. As soon as I locate it again, I will upload it
to YouTube, for those interested in what his views were back then.
For those people that argue that a high speed rail line (200 mph) from Peoria to Chicago is not necessary, then why is high speed rail necessary for Bloomington/Normal. Build the infrastructure, and the jobs will follow. Everyone can agree that the Bloomington/Normal area has benefited economically from having three interstates intersecting through it and a direct passenger rail link to Chicago.
Has anyone ever considered that new high speed (200 mph) rail lines would attract people from other parts of the state (and not just from Chicago)?
It would be ideal to build these high speed rail routes (200 mph):
Danville–>Champaign–>Bloomington/Normal–>Peoria–>Galesburg–>Quincy (with stops in-between)
Peoria–>Chicago (with stops in-between).
What bothers me most about driving the interstate to Chicago is that I have to travel many miles southeast on I-74 through Normal and away from Chicago before I could take I-55 north towards Chicago. Having a passenger rail route running directly northeast to Chicago from Peoria would be more efficient.
Peoria–>Springfield–>St. Louis (with stops in-between).
I am not sure about having a stop in Pekin, unless a train is needed for shopping at one of many tattoo parlors or traveling to the county courthouse).