The Blackhawk Chicago - Rockford -Dubuque (split: IL Service

Governor Quinn announces the Chicago-Dubuque route will go through Belvidere.
http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/89472397.html
George Weber, Chief of IDOT Bureau of Railroads, says construction to start by the end of the year, with passenger service starting in two or three years.

Thanks for the tip. Here's an article from 3 days earlier than the piece you've got, in which an IDOT staffer suggested this, but without the force of the gubernatorial announcement that your article had:

http://www.rrstar.com/carousel/x1176894 ... trak-route

However, it did have this juicy quote, from the IDOT official:

“We’re going to shoot for the bonanza,” Weber said. If the state didn’t put up the extra money, he added, “I don’t think people would ride it. ... Why would you ride from Dubuque to Chicago if you can beat the train schedule with your car?”

Regarding the proposed Chicago-Dubuque service on which most recently reported by Messrs. Stolberg and Ultra, here is a "for ready reference" link to the 2007 Feasibility Study regarding such service. The discussion relating to the selected route via the C&NW through Union (IRM home) and Belvidere begins at Adobe Page 7:

http://www.dot.state.il.us/amtrak/RCK_Feasibility.pdf

Even if the announcement was made in a clearly policitical setting (in the video submitted by Mr. Stolberg, the young woman standing immediately to Gov. Quinn's left is Shiela Simon - the selected - as distinct from duly elected - candidate for Lt. Gov.), I shall withhold any comments regarding both the timing of and the life expectancy, if any, of this proposed service. I will readily acknowledge here that I was mistaken (and gladly so) regarding the longevity of "the poet, the dog, and Abe".

JP, my schedule outlined last August was overly optimistic.

Some updates:
The sale of bonds necessary to raise money for the rail upgrades to serve Iowa has been delayed until July 14th.
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-201 ... 12931.html

The Illinois Department of Transportation advertised for Statements of Interest from consultants for track survey, preliminary engineering, final engineering and field engineering of the Joliet to St. Louis 110 mph route. The advertisement was published June 28th, precisely 5 months after the federal award announcement.
http://www.dot.state.il.us/desenv/ptb/P ... 90-172.pdf

Statements of Interest are due noon, July 22nd with a contract award announcement September 7th. The initial meeting between the State and the selected consultants will be Friday, September 10th.

The schedule then allows 36 months (until September 2013) to complete the preliminary engineering, final engineering and construction.

In Wisconsin, the Canadian Pacific published their request for interest on April 1st and announced the selection of the engineering firm on April 21st. The improvements between Milwaukee and Watertown should be complete by the end of 2012.
http://www8.cpr.ca/cms/English/Supplier ... efault.htm

Wisconsin's loss could be Rockford's gain: http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/New_ ... 47103.html
Fair-use quote:

Wisconsin Gov.-elect Scott Walker said he plans to reject $810 million from the federal government for high speed rail. Now, Illinois leaders said they'll take it instead.

.......................

In response to this development, IDOT released a statement about their approach. It said in part, if Wisconsin isn't interested, it (the money) should be used in the Midwest and Illinois has many projects ready to go.” This includes Rockford which is something local rail supporters want to see happen.

Assuming the Quad Cities service and the Rockford/Dubuque service get going, the Amtrak rail service in map in Illinois will start to resemble what existed on April 30, 1971 (last day before Amtrak). The major omissions that come to mind are the CNW lines to Milwaukee (although I believe Hiawatha frequencies now exceed the combined level of CNW and MILW in 1971) and Clinton, IA, the MILW line to Savanna (used by the UP trains), the CBQ Twin Cities route from Aurora through Rochelle and on to Wisconsin, and the CRIP route to Peoria. And, the SWC has been shifted to the Q east of Galesburg. Restoration of service to Peoria has been studied, but would likely be through Bloomington, if it occurs. Have I missed anything major? I know there have been lots of changes in terminal trackage in Chicago. It's sort of amazing the see a network rematerialize.

The National Limited?

During the 5AM hour today, WBBM 780 reports that the previous routing of the Land O' Corn, Hawkeye, and Black Hawk, namely the CN (IC) has been selected for the proposed Chicago-Dubuque train. Cost considerations ruled out the UP (C&NW) even though there was a potential for more ridership through Elgin and Belvedere - and of course the Illinois Railway Museum at Union.

The report noted a proposed 2014 start-up date for the service.

Gilbert B Norman wrote:During the 5AM hour today, WBBM 780 reports that the previous routing of the Land O' Corn, Hawkeye, and Black Hawk, namely the CN (IC) has been selected for the proposed Chicago-Dubuque train. Cost considerations ruled out the UP (C&NW) even though there was a potential for more ridership through Elgin and Belvedere - and of course the Illinois Railway Museum at Union.

The report noted a proposed 2014 start-up date for the service.

The Trib suggests more ridership for the route chosen, through Genoa. They also state that the route chosen does go through Elgin, just not Belvidere. I don't know who is right - just thought I'd mention their contrasting viewpoint:
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010 ... -line.html

Thank you for locating written material regarding the Chicago Dubuque route selection Mr. Ryan; here is a Brief Passage to ensure compliance with forum rules:

• Looking to get to Rockford fast ... in four years?
  
  The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today the selection of the proposed route for Amtrak's new Chicago-Rockford-Dubuque service, slated to begin service in 2014.
  
  Trains are expected to run at least one round-trip daily between Chicago and Dubuque with stops in Elgin, Genoa, Rockford, and Galena. Also proposed had been a so-called northern route that would have run through Belvidere, Huntley and Marengo in McHenry County, but a study found using the Elgin-Genoa route would be less expensive and draw more passengers.

The IC X's the Fox River at South Elgin near the Trolley Museum; as for ridership potential, ask two consultants and get two different answers.

Someone with an ear of corn closer to the ground will probably clarify the exact route.

But I think the clock at Chicago Union Station would throw up its hands in horror if the new train to Rockford and Dubuque did not go through downtown Elgin.

Here's a link to the "final" Illinois DOT report, which explains the choice of the CN/ex-IC route from Chicago to Rockford:http://www.dot.il.gov/DPIT/Chicago-Rock ... 101208.pdf.
According to the report, the CN (southern) and UP (northern) alternatives would have about the same mileage and running time, but the CN route would attract more passengers, and cost less. If the report it accurate (I express no opinion on that point), the choice of the CN route was a no-brainer.

Station Aficionado wrote:If the report it accurate (I express no opinion on that point), the choice of the CN route was a no-brainer.

Though it's too bad that Amtrak holds monopoly on intercity rail service. If it didn't, the folks in Belvidere and Marengo (two towns bypassed that badly wanted it to go through those places) could just start their own competing service. Then everyone could find out which would draw more passengers.

sipes23 wrote:

Station Aficionado wrote:If the report it accurate (I express no opinion on that point), the choice of the CN route was a no-brainer.

Though it's too bad that Amtrak holds monopoly on intercity rail service. If it didn't, the folks in Belvidere and Marengo (two towns bypassed that badly wanted it to go through those places) could just start their own competing service. Then everyone could find out which would draw more passengers.

I don't believe there's any law stating that no one can compete with amtrak...

Suburban Station wrote:I don't believe there's any law stating that no one can compete with amtrak...

Really? Hm. I had read, quite possibly incorrectly, that if you ran a competing service you had to pay Amtrak what effectively amounted to a royalty. Or at least that's how the quote from the book over at trainnet.org makes it sound. Link: http://www.trainnet.org/dcforum/DCForumID24/41.html

Amtrak's ploys were explained a decade ago by Mari Gursky, a Philadelphia attorney, but her views are germane today. "Amtrak assets that 'route' means market area. Thus, Amtrak asserts a right to licence and exact fees from a parallel line, even one operating between cities not served by Amtrak, if those cities are within what Amtrak sees as its 'market,'" said Gursky.

Of course the book this quote was drawn from was published in 1997, and things may well be very different now. Laws change, attitudes change. (And I'll admit to a big load of rail ignorance. Occasional Metra and annual Amtrak rides are my credentials.)

I'd love to see the folks from the bypassed line band up to create a competing service. And have it on the rails before Amtrak. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate Amtrak's service, but to have successful, directly competing lines would put a big nail in the no-one-rides-the-train argument.

Suburban Station wrote:

sipes23 wrote:

Station Aficionado wrote:If the report it accurate (I express no opinion on that point), the choice of the CN route was a no-brainer.

Though it's too bad that Amtrak holds monopoly on intercity rail service. If it didn't, the folks in Belvidere and Marengo (two towns bypassed that badly wanted it to go through those places) could just start their own competing service. Then everyone could find out which would draw more passengers.

I don't believe there's any law stating that no one can compete with amtrak...

When Amtrak began, it was given the exclusive right to operate passenger service over routes on which the participating carriers were providing intercity passenger service on April 30, 1971, if I recall correctly. I'm not sure if that provision is still in effect, but it would not apply to the Belvidere route, as I don't think there was intercity service on the route immediately before A-Day. But given the cost, I think we can safely say that Belvidere and Marengo won't be starting their own service.

That said, I wouldn't rule out the possibility that there might be some sort of service (Metra commuter service) on that route at some date in the (distant) future.