Hotline #687 -- Decmber 30, 2010

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) reached an agreement December 22 with Union Pacific Railroad and Amtrak that will clear the way for $1.1 billion in high-speed rail improvements to take place on the Chicago to St. Louis line.

The Cooperative Agreement between the state, the federal government, U.P., and Amtrak was the final step to releasing $1.1 billion in high-speed rail grants awarded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  Under a previously reported agreement, Union Pacific has already begun limited work (concrete tie installation) on a 90-mile stretch of track between Alton and Lincoln. With a full Cooperative Agreement in place, construction can expand south of Lincoln, and new, enhanced-safety grade-crossings can be installed.

“It’s a wonderful day for Illinoisans as we celebrate a milestone achievement towards becoming the first state in the nation to bring high-speed rail to fruition,” Governor Pat Quinn said. “We applaud the cooperation and hard work of all participating agencies to bring high-speed rail service, thousands of jobs, and economic growth to communities across the state.”

IDOT announced that trains will be reaching top speeds of 110 mph by 2012.  However, the Cooperative Agreement provides only for the number of round-trips currently operating (five).  It allows 110 mph operation for only three of those round-trips in the initial 2014 schedule, with expected cuts in trip time of 48 minutes between Chicago and St. Louis.

“Amtrak is looking forward to operating high-speed trains on the Lincoln Service corridor between Chicago and St. Louis” said Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman.  “We’ve been privileged to partner with Illinois DOT for more than 39 years and together we have built a system that transports nearly two million passengers to and from our Chicago Hub.” 

“As America’s intercity passenger railroad and the only current operator of high-speed rail service, we look forward to working together with our state partners in the coming years to connect even more passengers and places in the Midwest and other regions with high-speed trains” Boardman went on to say.


A massive snowstorm hit the Northeast over the weekend bringing holiday travel to a grinding halt throughout the region, forcing many air travelers to scramble to secure passage aboard the more weather-resistant trains.

As a blizzard buried the Northeast United States beneath more than a foot of snow, airlines were forced to cancel hundreds of flights.  Even Amtrak announced on December 26 around 6 p.m. that it would cancel service between Boston and New York.

The recuperation time for Amtrak, however, was much quicker than airports, with limited Boston-New York service being restored Monday morning.  And Washington D.C.-New York service experienced delays, but few cancellations.  Amtrak announced on Wednesday that it would be restoring its normal schedule—while warning passengers to expect weather-related delays.

Amtrak spokesman Steve Kulm confirmed that Amtrak was seeing heavy passenger loads due to the displaced air travelers.


The Federal Transit Administration announced December 27 that it will advance a $182.4 million in continued funding for seven passenger rail transit projects currently under construction in New York, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Seattle, and Northern Virginia.

“By making these payments now, we’re not only fulfilling the federal government’s commitment to these projects sooner, but we’re also giving a well-timed boost to communities that have made an important investment in their transportation infrastructure,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We want to keep the projects moving and people working with these early investments, which will save these cities money over the long haul.”

Projects include an extension of Dallas’ light rail system, a commuter rail project that will link Long Island Rail Road passengers to a new passenger concourse in Grand Central Terminal located on Manhattan’s east side, and an extension of Salt Lake City’s light rail system that will connect it to the city’s central business district.

You can find a full list of projects on the FTA’s website.


U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced December 27 that a final agreement has been reached between the federal government, the state of California, and Union Pacific Railroad Company and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Company to begin work on a $33.8 million grade separation project near San Bernardino.

The grant is part of Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER), a program included in ARRA, that is designed to address multi-modal projects that will provide economic and environmental benefits.  The project will ease congestion at Colton Crossing—located near the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach—by elevating two U.P. tracks over two BNSF tracks.

“Investments like this $33.8 million for the San Bernardino area are at the heart of President Obama’s efforts to create jobs and improve our nation’s transportation infrastructure,” said Secretary LaHood. “This money will help to shorten the time needed for goods to get to markets all over the world and improve safety for motorists and train operators alike.”

The U.S. DOT reports that in 2008, more than 110 trains–including Union Pacific, BNSF, Metrolink and Amtrak—went through Colton Crossing every day, making it one of the nation’s busiest street-level rail crossings.

“Given the economic significance of this route in and out of the nation’s biggest ports, this project will create jobs for hundreds of workers, reduce local traffic congestion and greatly improve the quality of life for area residents ,” said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez.


NARP’s Staff and Board & Council wish you and yours a Happy and a healthy New Year!  Here’s to a bright 2011 for passenger trains.