The Trump administration’s fiscal year 2019 budget proposes cancelling $53.4 million in passenger rail money, with the bulk of it likely coming from funds set aside for a connection between Moline and Iowa City....
http://qctimes.com/news/local/trump-budget-proposes-to-cancel-iowa-passenger-rail-funds/article_8dbddbb0-8785-550b-81bc-a201e0893ac1.html
Sounds like the connection to Iowa Interstate is already built, Amtrak stations built on the Illinois side, only thing remaining was Amtrak stations on the Iowa Interstate and track upgrading of Iowa Interstate. Iowa Interstate was dragging it's feet with the engineering study which pushed the program to 2018. It was scheduled to be done in 2017. Though I am still not sure why the budget is in 2019? Was that the startup costs and operating subsidy? If so then the states have the money for the track rehabilitation already.
Here is the status of the project:
https://www.rmchin.com/chicago-to-quad-cities-passenger-rail-in-sight/
As it stands, the Iowa Legislature is unlikely to approve any state money to move the Rocket across the Mississippi beyond Moline.
Victrola1 As it stands, the Iowa Legislature is unlikely to approve any state money to move the Rocket across the Mississippi beyond Moline.
Thats OK by me because Quad Cities is basically 4 cities next to the Mississippi River from what I understand. I was in the Army with someone from Quad Cities in 1986 and this was a rail project back then. They waited a long time for this it would be a shame it the whole project goes into the crapper now. I thought I read somewhere they have money still but I don't know if it is enought to rehab the track to Moline and start the service.
Victrola1As it stands, the Iowa Legislature is unlikely to approve any state money to move the Rocket across the Mississippi beyond Moline.
Is there really sufficient real, viable traffic to justify a train instead of the fleet of express buses that were put on between the Quad Cities and Iowa City in 2015?
Among other things, a connection had to be put in the northeast quadrant of the place where the BNSF crosses Iowa Interstate near Wyanet IL. I'm not sure Illinois ever funded their portion of that work.
Overmod Victrola1 As it stands, the Iowa Legislature is unlikely to approve any state money to move the Rocket across the Mississippi beyond Moline. Is there really sufficient real, viable traffic to justify a train instead of the fleet of express buses that were put on between the Quad Cities and Iowa City in 2015?
Not certain, but quite a few students at Iowa City are from Illinois, especially Chicagoland and the Quads.
For downtown Moline, the hotel's development marks a significant step forward in readying The Q for the future arrival of Amtrak service.
"I think the hotel brings attention to the whole facility," said Ray Forsythe, the city of Moline's planning and development director. "Our goal in doing this as a mixed-use building is not just to be a platform and a train station."
http://qctimes.com/business/moline-welcomes-new-element-hotel/article_838839bc-9dca-59a5-94da-039fa58eee11.html#utm_source=qctimes.com&utm_campaign=%2Femail-updates%2Fdaily-headlines%2F&utm_medium=email&utm_content=1B8053D86B143F5DB4D6E94BD68AE047CA306583
For how many years should you book a room waitng for the train to depart for Chicago?
The above link also provided a link to the Amtrak project to finally serve the adjoining station. Unfortunatly they can only confirm that it is in Illinois' 5 year plan.
http://qctimes.com/business/train-project-still-on-track/article_6e9e659a-3a38-5701-b90e-0df27ea487c5.html#tncms-source=infinity-scroll-summary-siderail-latest
An newspaper columnist sheds few tears for the Cornbelt Rocket to Iowa City not being revived.
http://www.thegazette.com/subject/opinion/staff-columnist/trump-dashes-hopes-for-iowa-city-rail-revival-20180518
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