34 thoughts on “Improved train access in works for Peoria”

1. Whomever wins the 18th Congressional seat in the fall had better be on board with this because Ray Lahood was no friend of rail service. I heard him say more than once “Peorians don’t need or want train service…”

   I took him to task for that statement and now he looks foolish for being out of touch with what our region really needs: more transportation options. Ray was obtuse. Let’s hope Aaron or Colleen have a better grasp on the future.

2. I’m glad to see this development. I for one would use the service if it existed.

   Peoria’s metro population of 370,000 and local business community could support at least two daily roundtrips to and from Chicago. The station needs to be centralized (downtown Peoria or East Peoria) and the route used must be faster or at least competitive with driving. If taxpayer’s monies are to be spent, spending to upgrade track, construct necessary connections, stations and install some signalling, etc., would be better than upgrading Rt. 29 or building a new highway via Streator.

3. David- Well said!

4. Think of all the related retail that can go in and around the rail station! Unless….we can get the train to go right through the museum! A combination ‘train station/regional museum!’

   I agree with Jordan. Speed [number of stops, etc] and destinations will be the keys. Schock will be all for this as long as the passengers can ride heavily armed.

5. Let’s rip out the trails and build rails!

6. Only a Rabid Trail Advocate could ignore the price of oil and the crying need for public transportation in this area. Our representatives should be screaming for Amtrak and feeder light rail systems, before gas hits $5/gallon.

7. Mouse, Of course the city leaders should be screaming for Amtrak and feeder light rail transportation. And that is exactly why Peoria won’t. These clowns running Peoria government do not have a clue on what they really should be doing. I will bet that Amtrak will not come into Peoria; but East Peoria instead via TPW with a station being built behind the former Shopko. Then the Peoria clowns will pull their hair and gnash their teeth and wonder why nothing goes their way. What an impossible clutch of numbskulls!

8. I also questioned Ray’s initial stance, but have since come to beleive that he ( and whomever succeeds him in office) will support rail if it something the area wants and needs. There is clearly a movement afoot to restore rail to Peoria; let’s see where it goes.

9. I suspect LaHood’s comments were based on the fact that a generation has passed since the PRAIRIE MARKSMAN made its last run in October 1981, however, he has failed to understand the revived interest in rail passenger service since 9-11.

10. What killed the railroad in the Peoria area in 1981?

11. David,
    I actually think Ray thinks Peorians are different than the rest of the country.

    He has told me on more than one occasion he understands the need for rail in Champaign/Urbana, Carbondale, and Bloomington. He said Peorians prefer to drive and since (his words not mime) all Bradley students have cars what’s the point in spending the money on rail when everyone can drive.

    I tried to explain to him that everyone does not have a car and when given the opportunity many people would prefer to take a train. The many economic benefits of having train service were hard for him to grasp.

    Ray was simply not interested. If he were, he would have gathered people together to get it done. Granted, he is a nice guy with a good looking family. He has certainly demonstrated he is willing to meet with his constituents- but meeting with constituents and understanding the complexity of an issue (and not just this one) are entirely different. He is not a visionary and I am worried that Aaron and Colleen are cut from the same cloth. We will get the same old, same old- regardless.

    I hope I have misread the candidates, but all arrows point in the wrong direction.
    George

12. I agree with most of what you say George, but Colleen seems to be more captive to the national Democrat party, which is controlled by wealthy liberal California and East-Coast folks like Ted Kennedy, whereas Schock seems to be the candidate of the local power elite. Pick your poison.

13. Clayton wrote: What killed the railroad in the Peoria area in 1981?

    Not the railroad, Clayton, the PRAIRIE MARKSMAN. Amtrak’s Chicago – East Peoria service was a 14-month experiment that died namely due to lack of interest from local pols and bad publicity (and misinformation) from the local print media. Ridership was said to be decent and had much potential. A stop at Eureka was added in July 1981.

14. >BR>George wrote: He has told me on more than one occasion he understands the need for rail in Champaign/Urbana, Carbondale, and Bloomington. He said Peorians prefer to drive and since (his words not mime) all Bradley students have cars what’s the point in spending the money on rail when everyone can drive.

    Ray needs to read up on history. Those communities you listed have benefited from some 150 years of interrupted rail passenger service, 37 of those with Amtrak.

    By summer 1960, Peoria was left with just one rail passenger carrier, Rock Island, with operated just two daily Chicago roundtrips. Pre-gas crisis air fares made short hops by plane economical in those days and patronage was in rapid decline.

    The Morton st. depot opened in 1967 and the following year, service to Chicago was reduced to one daily roundtrip. Amtrak began operations in 1971 but Rock Island continued to operate its passenger trains with the help of Illinois taxpayers. By 1976, trains were take 4.5 hours in each direction and were carrying an average of 5 passengers. By 1977, the Rock Island, by then operating under Chapter 11, wanted to drop its trains, which they finally did at the end of 1978. The last train left Peoria on New Year’s 1979. Amtrak agreed in 1977 to replace the Rock Island but funding issues (deep route cuts occurred in 1979) delayed the start of service until August 1980. The service lasted 14 months.

    Save for the service at Chillicothe which ended in summer 1996 (the SOUTHWEST CHIEF was rerouted) Peoria has been without rail passenger service for 28 of the last 29 years. We are out of the habit of using the train because for usit is not available.

    Big difference with those communities which have had it continuously since the 1850’s!

15. Where would be a good place for a station in the Peoria area?

16. East Peoria on W. Washington St. or downtown Peoria where station location could be a portion of the Sears block or adjacent the RiverPlex (better use than condos or a volleyball court).

    The former would use the old PRAIRIE MARKSMAN route and a short section of the Tazewell & Peoria. The latter would probably require the use of the old PEORIA ROCKET route as BNSF isn’t likely to allow Amtrak on their 70-train-a-day Chillicothe Subdivision.

17. I think the train station should be in downtown Peoria — perhaps part of the old Rock Island Depot (now River Station) could be reverted to a train station again. The restaurant and bar would give those waiting for a train some options for refreshment. The train could come in on the old Rocket line. Or, if it had to come in on the UP line to the west, it could come down the Kellar Branch to downtown! That would be a hoot.

18. What do you tear down then to build the adjacent parking deck?

19. I know a lot of people (including myself) who drive to Bloomington to catch the train to Chicago. It’s cheap, makes a great weekend, and you don’t have to worry about driving/parking in Chicago!

20. CJ yes it would be a hoot but not reasonable. How would it get back out of the Kellar? This is a high speed rail not a light rail/commuter rail line. The Kellar would have to be completely rebuilt because of the kinks and grades on it to accommodate high speed rail. That isn’t going to happen. Now we would run a commuter rail line from Allen Rd. up the Kellar to downtown Peoria and back to the Amtrak on the UP. This makes sense and is easily done. Also the commuter rail serves several other scenarios, such as the park and ride into town and tourism for those visiting Peoria.

21. Thanks for the link. What do people think about bus service from Downtown Peoria to the Bloomington and then Champaign Amtrak stations?

22. If the Amtrak route picked is UP-BNSF via Buda, ridership will be supressed by the location of the depot on the NW edge of the city (Allen Road?), commuter rail or not. Residents of Morton, Washington, Eureka, Pekin and even East Peoria will likely continue to use the existing service in and out of Normal.

    The requirement for most area residents to drive to this station or take a connecting train defeats the purpose of the convenience of intercity rail passenger service (not knocking commuter rail, but it must survive primarily for commuters and not a connection to intercity trains), for which a Peoria terminus needs a centralized location.

    The solution? The City-owned Kellar Branch could be completely rebuilt with heavier rail, new crossties, with curvature reduced to accommodate longer passenger cars and installation of additional grade crossing protection.

    That still leaves the necessity of the Tazewell & Peoria RR’s cooperation to allow for a downtown Peoria depot, but political will, popular support, railroad cooperation and money is all it takes:)

23. “Where would be a good place for a station in the Peoria area?”
    Left by clayton on March 19th, 2008
    ————————————–
    There is a prime chunk of real estate downtown [the big hole in the ground] that is just waiting to be developed around a new rail station. Airports are designed with shops,restaurants, etc. Develop part of the downtown area this way. If possible, build a train station that includes all of these facilties inside. Even if rail travel goes under, you still have a useful and uniquely developed downtown.

24. New Vision, I have to agree with you. That big hole in the ground would make a perfect multi-use depot. Numerous businesses could go in there even a scaled down museum. Retail business for locals and tourists. But the mindset of the powers that be must be overcome for them to see this as a profit for Peoria and the entire tri-county area.

25. The problem with a rail station is where are you going to put the rails? You will probably need another set of tracks. Convert Washington into a rail corridor? But yes that would be a great place for a rail station.

26. Dan — I think bus service is a good stopgap measure, but I’d prefer direct passenger rail service. Although he’s retiring, our current representative (LaHood) has not been a supporter of direct rail service here in Peoria — he thinks we should just go to Bloomington or Galesburg for train service. I would hate to see bus service established and then have him or his successor say, “that’s good enough.” So while I’m in favor of it, I’m not going to get all enthusiastic about it — I’ll save my enthusiasm for direct service.

27. Mahkno wrote: The problem with a rail station is where are you going to put the rails? You will probably need another set of tracks. Convert Washington into a rail corridor? But yes that would be a great place for a rail station.

    Uh…the Tazewell & Peoria RR track that runs along Water st. and the river?

28. Here’s a thought. There is a study to bring commuter rail to La Salle County (La Salle Peru, Ottawa, Morris, Minooka, Joliet, Chicago) via IAIS/CSX but they think they can support 3 trains a day, max, and it would take a significant capital investment plus yearly operating subsidy. Not a great FTA Transit New Start candidate in a very competitive field.

    However, if one, two, or all 3 trains continued to Peoria on the old RI/IAIS as a state-subsidized Amtrak route, 2 birds might be able to be killed with 1 stone here. Amtrak already operates quasi-commuter service in some markets (East Coast and Hiawatha come to mind). Granted, all the commuter stops might turn away some customers looking for a fast trip, but the business might attract some travelers who might want the intermediate trip also.

29. Peoria doesn’t need rail service! Local historians would remind Us that the growth and popularity of the modern interstate system ended Peoria’s rail service. We barely support Our airport and mass transit systems! Why add ANOTHER expensive and under-utilized service to an area that wouldn’t support It?

    Local rail service is too expensive and the demand is uncertain for Peoria to risk the financial investment. This issue should be placed on a voter referendum so local taxpayers can indicate Their willingness or not to support It, because the local ridership demand will NOT sustain It. This, especially, if the rates increase and gasoline prices fall! All that would precede is ANOTHER tax increase to retain a relatively unwanted service.

30. Tell you what “PEORIA” – how about a referendum on the Airport tax in Peoria County? You know it would fail – which is why the legislature forced it down the taxpayers’ throats without a referendum. Most people around the country will support rail, when given the chance. The historians will tell you that a lot of things led to the decline of passenger rail in the 50’s and 60’s, but that is, as you say, history. Some of us want Peoria to stop living in the past and embrace the future. Interstate highways are not the future.

31. PEORIA,

    On October 30, 2006, Amtrak doubled Chicago – Quincy service from one to two roundtrips; dedicated Chicago to Carbondale service from one to two roundtrips and increased Chicago – St.Louis trains by 40%. More frequency has led to a huge increase in ridership on those trains since that time.

    Yes, Amtrak is subsidized, but all forms of passenger transport have some form of subsidy. That doesn’t mean we should suddenly budget $2 trillion for rail passenger service expansion, but when there is interest in new or expanded rail passenger service where it makes sense, I don’t mind having my tax dollars spent on it.

    Also, The local airport is hardly “underutilized.” It handled 543,000 passengers in 2007, nearly breaking the 1978 record (and beating Bloomington-Normal, which seems to think it is entitled to have more).

    This, after annual traffic tended to average 350,000 to 450,000 between 1979 and 2004. With Allegiant Air’s new flights to Florida and Phoenix and the resumption of Denver and Detroit flights, the GPRA will likely reach the 600,000 mark this year.

    Furthermore, increased security requirements and tight gate and ticket counter space led to the decision to build a new terminal. It’s not a build it and they will come mentality, it’s out of necessity.

32. Dave,

    YOU are willing to support train service, even through higher taxes, but you assume the rest of the region will? I, on the contrary, don’t use the train service. I don’t need my taxes arbitrarily raised to sustain something I won’t use… WHEN TRAIN SERVICE FAILS!

    Those increased Amtrak figures You cited from Chicago to Quincy, Carbondale, and St. Louis are along PRE-EXISTING routes… NOT new ones. And the 543,000 GPR passenger total doesn’t account for the tens of thousands who drove to Bloomington, St. Louis, and Chicago for cheaper rates and more direct flights.

    I’ll let you in on ” a little secret “… Public officials can use a myriad of reasons to justify significant, capital, expenditures. Bloomington- Normal’s (new and sleek) terminal forced Peoria to build a new terminal NOT ” security requirements ” , ” tight gates “, or ” necessity ” . Physical renovations are cosmetic changes that aid, if nothing else, in the appearance of progress! Which is not to say there isn’t any, but it enhances public perception.

    If You recall, Peoria originally sought federal funding to renovate it’s air terminal. At least Our airport exists and has an established demand. Can we guarantee local rail service will?

33. Mouse,

    High gasoline costs are fueling…. no pun intended…. increased ridership on Amtrak and other forms of mass transit. Interstate highways will continue to dominate the (U.S.) transportation network due to American’s reliance upon automobiles.

    Rail service, prior to light rail and high-speed rail’s introduction, was actually obsolete. Most Americans STILL prefer the convenience and ease of mobility afforded automobiles over trains and city buses.

    No matter how much You want (local) train service, ” It ain’t gonna happen ” unless the numbers are there! If you don’t believe Me, just wait and see.

34. Peoria Wrote:YOU are willing to support train service, even through higher taxes, but you assume the rest of the region will? I, on the contrary, don’t use the train service. I don’t need my taxes arbitrarily raised to sustain something I won’t use… WHEN TRAIN SERVICE FAILS!

    I never said I’m willing to support higher taxes for expanded train service. Cuts in non-necessities such as museums and bike trails should be made to help pay for expanded rail passenger service. In fact, Amtrak expansion is beneficial to the nation’s economy and doesn’t necessarily require higher taxes to pay for it. Furthermore, instead of upgrading Rt. 29 to four-lanes, it would be far cheaper to upgrade existing track to accommodate Amtrak.

    Those increased Amtrak figures You cited from Chicago to Quincy, Carbondale, and St. Louis are along PRE-EXISTING routes… NOT new ones.

    So?

    And the 543,000 GPR passenger total doesn’t account for the tens of thousands who drove to Bloomington, St. Louis, and Chicago for cheaper rates and more direct flights.

    Read again what I said, PEORIA. GPRA passenger figures increased substantially since 2004 because of increased flights and destinations. That means that an increasing number of passengers are choosing GPRA over Chicago or St. Louis. The solution, PEORIA, is not to declare the local airport dead but rather, support it.

    I’ll let you in on ” a little secret “… Public officials can use a myriad of reasons to justify significant, capital, expenditures. Bloomington- Normal’s (new and sleek) terminal forced Peoria to build a new terminal NOT ” security requirements ” , ” tight gates “, or ” necessity ” . Physical renovations are cosmetic changes that aid, if nothing else, in the appearance of progress! Which is not to say there isn’t any, but it enhances public perception.

    PEORIA, Here’s the facts: loomington-Normal’s new terminal was approved for construction a decade ago and opened in November 2001 – more than six years ago. At the same time, GPRA expanded its existing terminal thrice, and remodeled the interior, believing it adequate for the future. Now, gate space is tight, larger planes are more common and existing building opened in 1959. GPRA decided that renovation would interfere with existing operations so they decided to replace the current one with a new facility. It needs replacement. The building Bloomington-Normal new terminal replaced was only 30 years old (1971).

    If You recall, Peoria originally sought federal funding to renovate it’s air terminal. At least Our airport exists and has an established demand. Can we guarantee local rail service will?

    The new terminal will still require federal funding. And if Amtrak service is done correctly (two daily roundtrips, centralized depot with convenient bus connections, heavy advertising, etc.), it will have a high farebox recovery ratio.

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