https://www.wcbu.org/local-news/2022-01-25/peorias-proposed-passenger-rail-route-would-connect-the-river-city-to-chicago
They are planning on building a rail station even before the return of the service gets approved (see links at bottom of above linked story).
Everything west of Joliet would need a lot of money to get it to passenger train standards.
An "expensive model collector"
There's the saying that politics is local. The lion's share of potential is travel from Peoria to Chicago and back though. Running a train from Chillicothe (not many miles north of Peoria) on the former Sante Fe mainline to Joliet and Chicago is what would make sense for that traffic. Much faster route and cheaper to institute.
.
Gramp There's the saying that politics is local. The lion's share of potential is travel from Peoria to Chicago and back though. Running a train from Chillicothe (not many miles north of Peoria) on the former Sante Fe mainline to Joliet and Chicago is what would make sense for that traffic. Much faster route and cheaper to institute.
I agree. It's not as though Morris and LaSalle-Peru would add much traffic.
The earlier route of the "Prairie Marksman" quite also work, former TP&W to Chenoa and the GM&O to CUS.
BNSF built the connector west of Galesburg to get traffic off the ATSF line through Chili, doubt they would want to put passengers back on it.
GM&O/TP&W was tried in the early 80, no access to downtown station. Getting across the river from East Peoria means going through yards at slow speeds, adding running time.
IAIS will need cash thrown at it to bring it up to passenger speeds.
Maybe Peoria and the Quad Cities should be talking joint project, run out of CUS as one train, split and combined at Bureau Junction.
AMTRAKKERBNSF built the connector west of Galesburg to get traffic off the ATSF line through Chili, doubt they would want to put passengers back on it. GM&O/TP&W was tried in the early 80, no access to downtown station. Getting across the river from East Peoria means going through yards at slow speeds, adding running time. IAIS will need cash thrown at it to bring it up to passenger speeds. Maybe Peoria and the Quad Cities should be talking joint project, run out of CUS as one train, split and combined at Bureau Junction.
Back in the day - many railroads built 'bypasses' around segments of their lines that were congested because of a high incidence of freight traffic that made it difficult to operate 'through' trains without serious delays from the crews holding the track(s) servicing those industries. The bypasses were specifically designed to be devoid of industry.
With all the issues leading to Staggers as well as what Staggers allowed subsequent to its adoption - most bypass lines were eliminated from the carriers BECAUSE there was no industry on those lines. Amazing how times change perceptions of what is necessary to operate a property.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
I seem to recall many years ago, after the Rock Island discontinued their last intercity trains in 1978, there was a proposal for a Peoria train to operate over the ATSF to Chillicothe and then to Peoria over the RI. I believe it was to be operated by Amtrak. Other than possible studies being done, nothing ever came of it.
Jeff
Gramp, I agree that would be a faster route. But I looked at maps for the BNSF/RI Chillocothe crossing and as I recalled, it is a grade separation with the double track BNSF going over the double track former RI. The area is wooded and there doesn't look like any easy connection. Not sure of availability of land for a connection. Any connection would be on an approach to the former SF Illinois River bridge which I suspect BNSF has no desire for. I think this is not a viable alternative to going all former R.I. Also this is wetlands and the environmental permits hard to get.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Chillicothe,+IL/Peoria,+IL/@40.9313464,-89.4801884,138m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x880a4892e2c7bd3b:0xfe1adb5ec5f3e9ac!2m2!1d-89.4862025!2d40.9222589!1m5!1m1!1s0x880a595c535879ad:0xcafbf4326b7d80db!2m2!1d-89.5889864!2d40.6936488
Looking at the map also shows a siding(?) with connections to the main line just west of the bridge with a separate highway bridge and an area with what look like track panels and other unidentified items along it and then rejoining the main line west of the highway. I also see what looks like it was a connection from the R.I. to the SF as if this could have been a small interchange yard. Appreciate any info anyone can provide
Chillicothe was the division point between Chicago and Ft. Madison at one time. I'm guessing that's the remnants of the yard. There was an interchange connection between the RI and AT&SF.
The RI was always single track between Bureau and Peoria.
Once you get to the north side of Peoria (Peoria Heights... aka Peoria Jcn/ connection with the old Keller Branch) IAIS no longer owns the track and is just a tennant. Tazewell & Peoria (old P&PU) calls the shots. With all the fun and games in downtown Peoria, things can get complicated/messy. A lot of the old passenger infrastructure vanished after the Prairie Marksman mis-fire. (vision of Amthrax scattering the local pedestrian hordes every time it makes an appearance - thanks to the city planners and downtown urban revitalized redevelopment on the waterfront plus keeping CAT headquarters there......conflicts aplenty)
Adding a signal system and raising the speed on that narrow R/W? - Ouch!
Lots of money is something Illinois does not have and the future status of that does not appear to change in that regard.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.