Illinois Amtrak Service

Gokeefe, thanks for taking the time to write such a response, definitely food for thought. The "meltdown" aspect of China's transport network is interesting. At what point does meltdown go from being a "good problem" to a bad problem? Obviously UP learned about this tipping point the hard way when they integrated SP in the late 1990s.

Tadman, my pleasure. The short answer on meltdowns in China is when the migrant laborers can't get back to their hometowns for the lunar new year (which seems to happen almost every year now) then there's a problem.

On a more Illinois oriented note I noticed this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crM4noMl7oI) posted by jstolberg of an 11 car Illini trainset. There was some indication that this might be because of the holidays. Nonetheless very impressive. It's a fantastically long consist, especially for outside the NEC and single level car operation. If it weren't for the P42 you'd think that video was taken in the 1980's. The only thing missing is the 'screamer' F40.

Is this an unusually long consist, even for 'holiday' operations?

It isn't unusual for the Carbondale trains to run long sets for the holidays. It is mostly to handle the crushing volume of UIUC students - and to a lesser extent, EIU and SIU students. A few Thanksgivings ago I was running one engine and 9 cars down there. It amazes me how many folks these trains attract, with only three a day and awful OTP.

It isn't unusual for the Carbondale trains to run long sets for the holidays. It is mostly to handle the crushing volume of UIUC students - and to a lesser extent, EIU and SIU students. A few Thanksgivings ago I was running one engine and 9 cars down there. It amazes me how many folks these trains attract, with only three a day and awful OTP.

At this time, CN has reinstated 60MPH speed restrictions over all signaled grade crossings on passenger trains with less than 30 axles. The Illini and Saluki have been running with extra coaches and/or cafe cars to keep the axle count at 32.

So once again, CN can't figure out how to properly time crossing gates, something that every other North American railroad seems able to do.

Construction is starting up again! I'm glad to hear of some improvement south of Alton. That section is so miserably slow.

And I will get to ride the detour on the Eagle too!

[quote=PD]The latest phase of the long-debated project will begin construction April 5, with new rail track between Alton and the Mississippi River, and between Dwight and Lincoln, as well as installation of a modernized signal system between Dwight and Alton.[/quote]

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt ... 78c22.html

quincunx wrote:Construction is starting up again! I'm glad to hear of some improvement south of Alton. That section is so miserably slow.

And I will get to ride the detour on the Eagle too!

PD wrote:The latest phase of the long-debated project will begin construction April 5, with new rail track between Alton and the Mississippi River, and between Dwight and Lincoln, as well as installation of a modernized signal system between Dwight and Alton.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt ... 78c22.html

I didn't notice the stuff south of Alton until you pointed it out. It is slow. It would be nice if they could make that hole segment 79 mph except for the junctions and approaches to the river.

Too bad the railroad doesn't have a handful of flatcars with trainline and high speed trucks. Keep the axle count up while better matching seat miles with passenger miles.

Thanks for the news. I googled to find additional versions of the story with more details. Not much more meat, but the Trib:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi- ... 5169.story
... offers more political background, with the positions of Republican Senator Kirk (PRO, with a note of dissent to help his more strident voters swallow it) and Cong. Walsh (ANTI) in addition to the quotes from Durbin and Quinn.

The Sun-Times has a much shorter version
http://www.suntimes.com/4450207-417/chi ... ding-boost
... with Quinn making a pandering crack about Cubs fans speeding to St. Louis on the train and getting "better results than they've seen the last few years." Pandering in that he's a Sox fan. The last time I ran into him was a strange moment -- about a month before, he had won his primary for Lieutenant Governor, on the Blago ticket, so he wasn't in office yet, and Lt. Gov isn't exactly an exalted spot even after you win. But still, he had proven he was one of the most popular candidates in a big state. It was about 10:00 at night on a Sunday, and he was sitting at the Hinsdale Tollway Oasis at the Hardees, with a cardboard box of files on the table and a little battery powered radio tuned to the Sox game. I said hi, and we chatted for a minute, but all the while I was thinking "what in heck are you doing with a box of files sitting at a tollway oasis Hardee's at 10:00 pm? Did your wife kick you out?" Odd, but the genuine humility of the guy showed. I'm nobody, and I'd be embarrassed sitting at a tollway oasis at 10:00 pm with my files. He seemed comfortable with the fact that passers-by might mistake him for a slightly-less-shabby-than-normal homeless man. Loyal to his Sox, though. He had that radio with him.

Durbin got no quote from the Sun-Times, since he's not the type to pander. You may disagree with his politics, but he doesn't say things he doesn't believe. He's a Cardinals fan from Metro East, so best to keep quiet.

A reminder for everyone. Track work starts tomorrow.

The Beagle starts detouring tomorrow. Both 21 and 22 will run Villa Grove tomorrow...

300 series trains will run to Bloomington and bus bridge to STL.

The SO didn't want a bus ride on Sunday so we drove to St Louis today. Lots of equipment in view while cruising I-55; multiple CWR and concrete tie trains, one of those Herzog MPMs and a bunch of hi-rail equipment, trailers and assorted MOW stuff.

The planning for the Joliet-Dwight segment is 8 miles of double track main from Joliet to Elwood and a 2 mile siding north of Braidwood.

Zanperk wrote:
The planning for the Joliet-Dwight segment is 8 miles of double track main from Joliet to Elwood and a 2 mile siding north of Braidwood.

where'd ya hear that from?


I'd just be thrilled if they CTC'd the stupid thing. It's such a PIA...

What are the plans for speeding up the Alton to St. Louis section? As we have discussed before, it is a hodgepodge of two different adjacent railroads, differing signals and speeds with busy rail junctions.

I guess anything they do will be an improvement.

What about up north...any talk of restoring the Peoquot connection to the BNSF line so as to obtain another track from Joilet southward? Seems like it would be money well spent and lot cheaper than laying a second track adjacent to the GM&O line.

I've got a trip on 21 planned for the first thurs next month - will this trackwork affect us?