Mendota (IL) station

[Rockingham Racer]

Does anyone know why Mendota has only one platform? This situation causes quite a bit of what I'll call "crossing traffic over" to run left-handed in that area, especially when Amtrak is in the picture; and six out of the soon-to-be eight Amtrak trains stop there. Dispatchers' observations [and others'] welcome.

[Pensyfan19]

I think that certain stations along certain Amtrak routes only have one platform due to the demand in passenger service. Mendota is currently by the daily Southwest Chief and twice daily Illinois Zephyr/Carl Sandburg and has one side platform to serve those two train routes. This might be subject to change with the introduction of the Quad Cities thus adding more trains to that station, so hopefully this station can have a second platform in order to handle more frequent amounts of service.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mendo ... 89.1175851

[njtmnrrbuff]

It would be nice for Mendota to have platforms on both sides of the tracks after those two new Amtrak trains running to Moline start up. The stations like Mendota will get a little busier. This would not only be good for Amtrak, but BNSF would probably be able to move their trains around a parked Amtrak train easily. Just one general idea-for any of the stations along the BNSF line that will be served by the trains heading to the Quad Cities-Plano, Mendota, and Princeton-I would see if Illinois DOT would let Amtrak construct a pedestrian tunnel between the two platforms. This would help passengers get to their platforms without having to wait for another train stopped at the station as well as passing by.