by Boyishcolt23
The most expensive option is from the 1970's to complete the re routing of Freight traffic to the east side of I-55. Yes this is extremely expensive but right now maybe the last realistic chance to get started on it because of IDOT is starting the engineering of finally widening I-55 to six lanes around Springfield .
these are Generational decisions that are being made that IMO shortsighted . 10th street has no more rail business so it just a run threw Springfield onto Decatur .years ago Norfolk would use 19th street on rare occasion because of work being done on its line and use the old IC now CN line and switch back over to it own line under what is now the Dirksen parkway overpass. Tracks still cross there but the switch was removed years ago.
UP on occasion has a coal drag that goes down to Kincaid power station come down 3rd street or 19th street.
So if the railroads all agreed as a Freight could all be re routed on the 19th street line. and eliminate 10th street and its many rail crossings
Amtrak should stay on 3rd street because it at the center of town .3rd street was double tracked up until the late 1980's tripled tracked and more in places when it was the GM&O .
10th and 19th street were all double tracked up to at least the mid 1980's . i would have to check dates on old photographs to be sure on the dates
This combination of all lines on the 10th street is a boondoggle. First it was claimed Memorial Hospital was holding up expansion because of Vibration from trains that fizzled out when they figured out St John Hospital is as close to the 10th street tracks, Also if its that a big problem why don't you expand away from track not towards the tracks.
With Union Pacific expansion of the land port in Joliet yes we are going to get more train traffic, Norfolk forecast the same thing . so in 10 years could we have 200 freight trains or more going threw Springfield ? that very possible all that and Amtrak on the 10th street line ? that would be the end of the east side of Springfield as that would cut it off even further also the noise of that not to mention the pollution. That's why IMO the East of I-55 rail relocation should be included in the expansion plans of I-55 .
Looking even further down the Road what if Norfolk was to merge with any of the 2 western railroads ? this could very easily because a Chicago bypass to the East Coast
these are Generational decisions that are being made that IMO shortsighted . 10th street has no more rail business so it just a run threw Springfield onto Decatur .years ago Norfolk would use 19th street on rare occasion because of work being done on its line and use the old IC now CN line and switch back over to it own line under what is now the Dirksen parkway overpass. Tracks still cross there but the switch was removed years ago.
UP on occasion has a coal drag that goes down to Kincaid power station come down 3rd street or 19th street.
So if the railroads all agreed as a Freight could all be re routed on the 19th street line. and eliminate 10th street and its many rail crossings
Amtrak should stay on 3rd street because it at the center of town .3rd street was double tracked up until the late 1980's tripled tracked and more in places when it was the GM&O .
10th and 19th street were all double tracked up to at least the mid 1980's . i would have to check dates on old photographs to be sure on the dates
This combination of all lines on the 10th street is a boondoggle. First it was claimed Memorial Hospital was holding up expansion because of Vibration from trains that fizzled out when they figured out St John Hospital is as close to the 10th street tracks, Also if its that a big problem why don't you expand away from track not towards the tracks.
With Union Pacific expansion of the land port in Joliet yes we are going to get more train traffic, Norfolk forecast the same thing . so in 10 years could we have 200 freight trains or more going threw Springfield ? that very possible all that and Amtrak on the 10th street line ? that would be the end of the east side of Springfield as that would cut it off even further also the noise of that not to mention the pollution. That's why IMO the East of I-55 rail relocation should be included in the expansion plans of I-55 .
Looking even further down the Road what if Norfolk was to merge with any of the 2 western railroads ? this could very easily because a Chicago bypass to the East Coast
