twropr wrote: ↑Mon Jun 19, 2023 6:49 pm
To compare what could be with what we just got, let's examine the proposed schedule of 301 - the fastest train, making limited stops at Joliet,
Bloomington-Normal, Springfield and Alton. With the new schedules posted on amtrak.com, I see that 301 makes the 220 miles from Joliet
to Alton in 3 hours (180 min.). 73.3 MPH average speed. 301, running at timetable speeds and stopping at BNL (5 min.), Springfield (4 min.)
and Alton (2 min.) could run the 220 miles in 165 min. (80 MPH average).
When TRAINS MAGAZINE announced the agreement in 2010 between Amtrak, IDOT and UP, 4-hr CHI-STL running time was proposed. Allowing
40 min. CHI-JOL, 165 min. JOL-ALN and 35 min. ALN-STL comes up to 240 min. (or 4 hrs).
So, it appears that UP insisted upon 15 min. of padding between JOL and ALN.
How many freights does UP run over this route? Are there Amtrak delays caused near the Global terminal at Joliet due to main track being used
for switching or intermodal trains being held out of the terminal?
Andy
I am sure there are speed increases along the Joliet to Alton tracks, a much smoother ride, new rolling stock arriving, etc; but the trains’ average speed is still less than driving parallel on the historic US Route 66. That’s assuming drivers do not stop at all the tourist attractions along the highway. Tourist attraction train riders can not visit as they zoom by at speeds over 100 mph. The Chicago to Joliet and Alton to St. Louis sections are creepy slow and bumpy. And this is the main reason the trains’ average speed are so slow.
I read the same basic truth applies to the Wolverine as well. It seems all higher speed trains traveling at a top speed of 110 mph barely average half that speed caused by congestion on the approaches to the major cities. So I agree more work is needed, but the freights have already invested much here already.
averaging 56 mph is not the final result we expected.