IAIS is track warrant controlled. The union Pacific (former CNW) is mostly bi-directional running with CTC across Iowa. The Iowa Interstate main goes through the most densely populated areas plus Iowa City is home to the University of Iowa which could draw college students to ride Amtrak.
Doug
Railroad Forums
Amtrak Quad Cities Proposal Chicago, Moline, Iowa City
- Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.
Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, mtuandrew, Tadman
by Gilbert B Norman
From Marriott Courtyard Roswell GA--
Mr. NSSD, I respect your point that the Rock Island serves Iowa population centers, including SUI at Iowa City. As I've noted earlier, now that $4ga is NOW at a pump near you, and $5 is not out of the question, possibly a Bimmer 3 is not quite on the shopping list to send Jr. off to the Big U to the same extent that it has been in the past.
But what the intrepid young SUI reporter misunderstood when she reported that $20M would be needed to upgrade the RI, presuming IAIS would even be agreeable to such, is more like $50M. Even this higher amount is conceded (whoops? Marriott's computer here does not have the Google spell check) by friends of mine residing in the area and who are "advocates".
Even though I'm certain service along the RI into Chicago could attract passengers, the factor of "show me the money' cannot be overlooked. The price tag would simply be too high - $5/ga notwithstanding.
Mr. NSSD, I respect your point that the Rock Island serves Iowa population centers, including SUI at Iowa City. As I've noted earlier, now that $4ga is NOW at a pump near you, and $5 is not out of the question, possibly a Bimmer 3 is not quite on the shopping list to send Jr. off to the Big U to the same extent that it has been in the past.
But what the intrepid young SUI reporter misunderstood when she reported that $20M would be needed to upgrade the RI, presuming IAIS would even be agreeable to such, is more like $50M. Even this higher amount is conceded (whoops? Marriott's computer here does not have the Google spell check) by friends of mine residing in the area and who are "advocates".
Even though I'm certain service along the RI into Chicago could attract passengers, the factor of "show me the money' cannot be overlooked. The price tag would simply be too high - $5/ga notwithstanding.
by pebbleworm
Funding has rolled in for service between Iowa City, IA, the Quad Cities and Chicago, with trains starting to run sometime in 2015!
http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_c ... 03286.html
http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_c ... 03286.html
by bmichel5581
Excellent.
I'm glad they are "doing it right". IE: CTC operation and 79mph. It'll be interesting to see where the equipment comes from. If i remember right, the study called for a P42, Cafe/business class, 2 coaches and a NPCU.
I'm glad they are "doing it right". IE: CTC operation and 79mph. It'll be interesting to see where the equipment comes from. If i remember right, the study called for a P42, Cafe/business class, 2 coaches and a NPCU.
by AMTKHawkeye
It'll be interesting to see where the equipment comes from.If Wisconsin's Talgos are in service by that time on Hiawatha trains, that should free up a modest quantity of coaches for other trains, including this new service.
by afiggatt
bmichel5581 wrote:I'm glad they are "doing it right". IE: CTC operation and 79mph. It'll be interesting to see where the equipment comes from. If i remember right, the study called for a P42, Cafe/business class, 2 coaches and a NPCU.If the new service is not starting until 2015, Amtrak should have placed an order for new bi-level corridor coaches by then. Or they can order several Talgos for the route, providing Wisconsin's next Governor does not effectively kill any more Talgos from the WI production facility by canceling the Madison project.
The track acquisition and upgrades will be in Michigan, but Michigan got $150.9 million for the Chicago-Detroit line which is about 1/2 of their $308 million application for acquiring and upgrading the NS line from Kalamazoo to Dearborn: http://www.detnews.com/article/20101025 ... rail-route.
by ne plus ultra
pebbleworm wrote:Funding has rolled in for service between Iowa City, IA, the Quad Cities and Chicago, with trains starting to run sometime in 2015!An announcement from Durbin and Harkin.
http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_c ... 03286.html
I wonder where Grassley stands on it these days. There's been a lot of talk about "hypocrisy" this campaign season - people who voted against the stimulus but still lobbied for funds for their district. I disagree with that theory - I think that's just playing by the rules even if you think they should be changed. I'd feel more confident that this would happen 4-5 years from now if Grassley was still invested in it too. At least as recently as May, 2008, Grassley was a signatory to a letter asking the mothballed equipment be used for this service. (see the link near the bottom this page - http://www.qcrail.com)
by electricron
The track acquisition and upgrades will be in Michigan, but Michigan got $150.9 million for the Chicago-Detroit line which is about 1/2 of their $308 million application for acquiring and upgrading the NS line from Kalamazoo to Dearborn:It's one thing to ask the Feds to help finance infrastructure improvements, it's another to ask the Feds to buy the railroad corridor and give it away to the State DOT. I'm looking at that 50% being 100% of the costs of the infrastructure improvements, it's up to Michigan to buy 100% of the corridor.
by electricron
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financia ... 05K682.htm
Nippon Sharyo building new railcar plant in Rochelle, Illinois. Will that make Nippon Sharyo the likely manufacture of Illinois subsidized high speed trains?
Nippon Sharyo building new railcar plant in Rochelle, Illinois. Will that make Nippon Sharyo the likely manufacture of Illinois subsidized high speed trains?
by Station Aficionado
pebbleworm wrote:Funding has rolled in for service between Iowa City, IA, the Quad Cities and Chicago, with trains starting to run sometime in 2015!2015??!! How incompetent have we become? Five years to build, what, two stations (Moline and Geneseo), upgrade 60 miles or so of track and build one connection? Everything's already in place east of Wyanet, isn't it? I recognize that laying track is a lot more involved than it was in 1869 and that there are all manner of regulatory and statutory requirements to be met (haven't they already done the environmental impact study?), winter weather delays to be dealt with, and football games to be watched. But five years for a 60 mile extension is ridiculours. How does one maintain the political will for that long, given the current financial and ideological storms (see, e.g., Wisconsin and Ohio) buffeting the country? There's got to be a way to speed this project up. I pray you, tell me 2015 is the date for service to Iowa City, not Moline.
http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_c ... 03286.html
by ne plus ultra
From the article:
>There still is plenty of work to do before construction begins, officials say.
>Some property must be acquired near Wyanet, Ill., and environmental and design work remains to be done.
>However, Nicholson said, some construction on stations and near Wyanet is expected to begin in 2013.
>Track and communications work is expected the year after that, and the service should be operational in 2015, according to the application.
I don't know the ins and outs - I'm just passing along their explanation. Certainly it was faster back in the 1860's when you could just steal the land from the natives. But I agree that I worry about sustaining the political will for 5 years.
>There still is plenty of work to do before construction begins, officials say.
>Some property must be acquired near Wyanet, Ill., and environmental and design work remains to be done.
>However, Nicholson said, some construction on stations and near Wyanet is expected to begin in 2013.
>Track and communications work is expected the year after that, and the service should be operational in 2015, according to the application.
I don't know the ins and outs - I'm just passing along their explanation. Certainly it was faster back in the 1860's when you could just steal the land from the natives. But I agree that I worry about sustaining the political will for 5 years.
by IARAILFAN
I say 4 - 5 years is too long. Let's get it going...to Des Moines would be nice.
Do you think that they could speed that up some?
Do you think that they could speed that up some?