Texas Eagle detour

[blue streak 1]

TRE is replacing a bridge April 6 - 9 so expect Eagle to detour on UP DAL <> FTW

 

 

 

Dallas Area Rapid Transit <[e-mail]>

To

 

 

 

Buses to Replace Trains On Crucial Bridge Segment As TRE Upgrade Continues, Effective April 6-9, 2018 03/29/2018 02:45 PM CDT Buses will replace trains between West Irving and CentrePort/DFW Airport stations starting the first full weekend in April. TRE service is being temporarily suspended there to replace a bridge over Bear Creek, a major step in TRE's ongoing capacity improvements. The substitution will only impact the final two westbound trains on Friday evening, April 6, and all operations on Saturday, April 7, and Monday, April 9. Buses will be used to carry passengers between West Irving and CentrePort/DFW Airport stations. Passengers can expect possible delays of up to 45 minutes on a typical commute and are encouraged to allow an ample amount of extra time on those days. Weather permitting, normal rail service should resume on Tuesday, April 10. The closure will enable TRE to greatly increase safety and flexibility with double-track capabilities. We apologize for any temporary inconvenience as we build for your future. For more information, please contact DART (DART.org or 214/979-1111) or Trinity Metro (FWTA.org or 817/215-8600). http://www.dart.org/rideralerts/fullra.asp?id=3958

 

[CMStPnP]

Actually smart of TRE to continue double tracking the route as they can afford it.   Some of those former Rock Island single track bridges and trestles are pretty rickety as well, happy to see them get replaced.    I need to ride the route again on a Saturday to see the progress made.

[PJS1]

This is a question regarding the re-routing of the Texas Eagle, although not the initial item regarding the re-routing of the train between Dallas and Fort Worth.

Again, the Eagle is being re-routed between Chicago and St. Louis in the middle of April for track work.

Is the regular routing of the Eagle between Chicago and St. Louis over the former Wabash, with the alternative routing during the track work over the GM&O, or is it the other way around?  Or am I totally uninformed?

[Electroliner 1935]

PJS1

Is the regular routing of the Eagle between Chicago and St. Louis over the former Wabash, with the alternative routing during the track work over the GM&O, or is it the other way around?  Or am I totally uninformed? Add Quote to your Post

The "normal" route of the Eagle is the former GM&O (Alton) track Chigago, through Joliet, Bloomington, Springfield, Alton into St. Louis. The Illinois detour is via the former C&EI, MP, now UP track from Chicago through Momence, Woodland Jct, Villa Grove, Pana, (NYC also used this Pana to St Louis track) to St Louis. No major cities on this route. and if you are using https://asm.transitdocs.com/map to follow the Eagle when it is using this detour, you will see its icon in Illinois but not on any Amtrak line (except it looks like its on the line to New Orleans when its in the area north of Tuscola where it crosses the CN ex IC) on the map.

The former Wabash line is abandoned (removed) South of Manhattan Il. to Risk. NS track from Risk through Decatur to St Louis is freight only. The former Wabash N of Manhattan is operated by METRA for commuter service. 

[PJS1]

Electroliner:

Thanks for your response.  Very helpful!

With respect to the upgrade of the former GM&O to 110 to 125 mph, is the game plan to upgrade it all the way from Chicago to St. Louis or nearly so? 

[Electroliner 1935]

PJS1

With respect to the upgrade of the former GM&O to 110 to 125 mph, is the game plan to upgrade it all the way from Chicago to St. Louis or nearly so? 

As near as i can tell, there will not be any upgrades to the route between Chicago & Joliet nor between Alton & St. Louis. There is discussion and planning to reroute the Chicago-Joliet segment to operate over upgraded Metra (former Rock Island) tracks but that is a dream for now. The existing CN route (former Alton, GM&O, ICG)  is congested with freight switching and industries and CN wants nothing to do with any high speed trains. But there is currently no connection between the Metra (former Rock Island) route and Amtrak into Union Station, So there is a big $$$ issue. The test segment of 110 mph has reverted to 79 mph for the near term until UP decides it has the PTC operational over more of the route. Additional work is underway to double track the route through Wilmington and the installation of the second bridge over the Kankakee River. With the State of Illinois finances, I'll be happy to see 110 mph between Joliet and Alton. 

[Deggesty]

Electroliner 1935

 

 

PJS1

Is the regular routing of the Eagle between Chicago and St. Louis over the former Wabash, with the alternative routing during the track work over the GM&O, or is it the other way around?  Or am I totally uninformed? Add Quote to your Post

 

 

The "normal" route of the Eagle is the former GM&O (Alton) track Chigago, through Joliet, Bloomington, Springfield, Alton into St. Louis. The Illinois detour is via the former C&EI, MP, now UP track from Chicago through Momence, Woodland Jct, Villa Grove, Pana, (NYC also used this Pana to St Louis track) to St Louis. No major cities on this route. and if you are using https://asm.transitdocs.com/map to follow the Eagle when it is using this detour, you will see its icon in Illinois but not on any Amtrak line (except it looks like its on the line to New Orleans when its in the area north of Tuscola where it crosses the CN ex IC) on the map.

The former Wabash line is abandoned (removed) South of Manhattan Il. to Risk. NS track from Risk through Decatur to St Louis is freight only. The former Wabash N of Manhattan is operated by METRA for commuter service. 

 

As to the alternate route Chicago-St, Louis, I have the impresssion that the Pana-East St. Louis line was Big Four track, and the C&EI had trackage rights on it.

 

[Electroliner 1935]

Deggesty

As to the alternate route Chicago-St, Louis, I have the impresssion that the Pana-East St. Louis line was Big Four track, and the C&EI had trackage rights on it.  

Johnny, You are correct. I really did not know who built the track between St Louis and Pana, just that it was shared, so I went online and found this item:

Source: http://libsysdigi.library.illinois.edu/oca/Books2008-08/preliminaryhisto00samp/preliminaryhisto00samp.pdf

1904 July 23 August 1 New C&EI yard opened for use at Villa Grove, Illinois. C&EI inaugurates Chicago-St.Louis passenger service with one night train in each direction using the CCC&StL old main line Hillsboro to East St. Louis account the new exit-off still under construction. 

Big Four (C.C.C. & St.L.) was formed in 1889 so it predates the C & E I.

Source: http://madisonrails.railfan.net/bigfour.html

THE CLEVELAND CINCINNATI CHICAGO AND St LOUIS RAILWAY COMPANY

This company was organized by the consolidation, effective June 30, 1889, of the Cleveland Columbus Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railway Company, the Cincinnati Indianapolis St Louis and Chicago Railway Company, and the Indianapolis and St Louis Railway Company, articles of incorporation being recorded with the Secretary of the State of Indiana, June 8, 1889, and with the Secretary of the State of Ohio, June 27, 1889.