Midwest cities can be better served through fast and efficient rail connections.
But for too many decades, that goal has been treated like an afterthought. And travelers have had to choose between needlessly long Amtrak trips, fighting traffic on oft-congested highways, or enduring the hassle of airports.
That’s why it’s good to see the start this week of 110 mph speeds on the state-supported Amtrak Lincoln service between Chicago’s Union Station and St. Louis.
Trains previously traveled between the two cities at 79 mph before speed limits were raised to 90 mph in 2021. The trip took as long as 5 1⁄2 hours or more.
But with track and signal upgrades and other improvements, all funded by a federal grant to the Illinois Department of Transportation, higher speeds are now possible.
“By upgrading to higher-speed service on Illinois’ largest passenger rail line, we are solidifying our status as the transportation hub of North America,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said as he announced the faster link at a news conference Monday at Union Station.
“Investments like these do more than just connect cities,” he said. “They allow our residents to access opportunities beyond their immediate neighborhoods, streamline regional collaborations and open doors for new jobs and new businesses.”
‘A unique economic advantage’
The origins of the track improvements date back to 2010, when IDOT received an initial grant to work with Amtrak and Union Pacific Railroad to redevelop the corridor. The improved trackage will support both passenger and freight trains.
The end result is a pretty extensive rebuild. In addition to the track and signal upgrades, 212 grade crossings were improved — and 39 others were closed — and new stations were built in Dwight, Pontiac, Lincoln, Carlinville and Alton.
The funding will also bring new locomotives and passenger railcars that will be used throughout the region.
The 110 mph trip will shave 15 minutes off current travel times between Chicago and St. Louis, and a full half-hour from the historic 79 mph top speed.
The new speeds certainly won’t have operators of the 186 mph Eurostar — which zooms from London to Paris in just over 2 1⁄2 hours — losing any sleep. But it’s a step up for Amtrak, an agency that has been starved for funding and reducing service virtually since its creation in 1971.
And not only did Amtrak suffer economically, so did many of the cities it served, especially in the Midwest. But if rail improves, the cities can too.
“Illinois is the only state where all seven of the nation’s largest railroads operate,” Pritzker said. “That’s a unique economic advantage recognized by employers across the globe, helping our state attract and maintain quality jobs,”
A key step in improving region’s rail
The improvements bring faster times throughout the Lincoln Service corridor.
The trip from Chicago to Bloomington-Normal can now be done in less than two hours, according to Amtrak — which should be welcome news to Redbirds returning to Illinois State University in the fall.
And Chicago railroad travelers can reach Springfield in less than three hours, which beats out the optimistically-calculated 3-hour, 10-minute travel time by car.
Admittedly, the improved Lincoln Service only addresses a portion of our region’s rail needs.
We could use fast, direct links from Chicago to Detroit, and also to Washington, D.C., New York City and a host of cities in between.
And only time will tell how consistently the new train speeds can be maintained. Amtrak and Union Pacific often share a single track south of Joliet — and current nation rail laws give freight priority over passenger trains.
Amtrak and UP will have to work together to keep the promises made at this week’s news conference, and to justify the nearly $2 billion spent.
Still, the improvements are an important and welcome addition to efforts to put our area’s rail on the right track.
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