gokeefe wrote:Is there enough rolling stock in the current fleet to support the service startup date in 2014?
The Quad Cities service is an entirely new train correct?
The project includes funding to purchase 3 locomotives and 12 passenger cars. The passenger cars are part of the combined Mid-west order for at least 78 bi-level corridor cars with California ordering 42 bi-levels for a total of 120 cars. The locomotives will be part of the order for at least 33 next-gen diesel locomotives. The start of Chicago-Moline revenue service may be dependent on the delivery of the new passenger cars. If not the 12 ordered for that corridor, delivery of enough bi-level cars for use on other corridors to free up Horizons for use for Chicago-Moline. There is a lot of track and signal work to be done for this corridor before the service can start, so the new rolling stock may be on hand by late 2014.
The status of the Iowa part of this project is not clear to me. My understanding is that the Governor has not officially rejected the funds, that the extension to Iowa City is more or less in limbo because the legislature has not provided the funds to operate the train. Iowa DOT did accept $1 million which was obligated for a formal Chicago to Omaha passenger rail line, so there is a study for the corridor with an extension to Omaha moving forward. The $17.3 million for Ottuma Sub crossover improvements which will benefit the California Zephyr has been obligated, so Iowa has not turned down all the HSIPR funding.
At some point, if Iowa does not go ahead with their part of what was to be the $230 million (plus 20% state matching) Chicago - Quad Cities - Iowa City corridor project, LaHood and the FRA will yank the $53 million remaining and re-allocate it to other projects. No shortage of other states with projects who will take the money.