by Rockingham Racer
Anthony wrote:Chicago-Rockford-Dubuque (the Black Hawk) and Chicago-Janesville-Madison (the Varsity) would be two rail services that are desperately needed due to high traffic congestion along parallel highways between these cities, and have great ridership potential due to the size of the towns along the routes as well as factors like tourism and more people in train-riding-demographics (college students, young adults, elderly, and low income folks) living in or traveling between those towns regularly. (like Dubuque and Madison) that would be perfect for this kind of funding arrangement. The first route would be a candidate for this because IL is broke and has a legislature and governor that both know little more than how to bicker over a budget. The second one would be a candidate because WI has no interest in subsidizing passenger trains beyond levels that the Hiawatha takes.Perhaps. But IDOT sure isn't hot after getting even one train started there. And there you have it, because the service will not happen without IDOT. Dubuque and Madison? Iowa and Wisconsin. Not exactly hot after passenger train services either, unfortunately.