Chicago - St. Louis Lincoln Corridor to begin higher speed running

[Bob Dylan]

After spending Billions, effective July 7according to a Post on trainorders, the Missouri Trains AND #21/#22( not originally included) will be allowed to run @ 90mph in certain Blocks on the Cortidor between Chicago and St. Louis.

The Goal is to eventually up it tp 110 MPH, but just when this will happen( if Ever??)is Blowin'in the Wind."

 

[jis]

And everyone will celebrate the arrival of "High Speed Service" on this corridor for what is it? The sixth time now?

American passenger rail adventures would be hilarious if it were not so tragic.

 

[ShiningTimeStL]

Why do we have to be so pessimistic even when we hear good news? I don't understand this place...

 

[Ziv]

It isn't pessimism when things really are that bad! LOL!
90 miles per hour! Woohoo!

Why do we have to be so pessimistic even when we hear good news? I don't understand this place...

 

[Brian Battuello]

It is always darkest just before it goes pitch-black.

 

[jis]

Lincoln Service trains were supposedly running at 90mph or 100mph or 110mph depending on the phase of the moon and marketing hype back in 2013 as is evident from this thread at this forum:

https://www.amtraktrains.com/thread...gh-speed-zone-between-dwight-and-ponti.56326/
So in 8 years we have spent another billion and trains have slowed down a bit probably to 90mph.

 

[Brian Battuello]

From NYC to New Haven, high speed rail is anything faster than an ice cream truck.

 

[jis]

From NYC to New Haven, high speed rail is anything faster than an ice cream truck.

Well, if they have gotten around to raising the speeds again in NY State after PTC going on line then that part is as fast as the Lincoln Corridor pieces at 90mph

 

[Brian Battuello]

Not if you are behind a Metro North local. There are allegedly four tracks but they are always closing one for repairs (which is a good thing).

 

[Tlcooper44]

Why do we have to be so pessimistic even when we hear good news? I don't understand this place...

I'm split. There is a healthy amount of pessimism here, but I think when good things happen, there is plenty of celebrating.

I followed (via hsrail.org) this project, and it really seems to be a snail's cause.

 

[Brian Battuello]

Not that I'm complaining, mind you. After many years of riding Metro-North from Stamford to NYC, I kinda got used to watching my favorite bridges and Long Island Sound views. No rush. Especially when they still had a bar car.

 

[TransitTyrant]

Potentially 110mph service will begin on May 2nd, 2023. This past week a southbound/northbound 110mph test was completed and it was supposedly the last one.

 

[JWM]

This is the Midwest and I realize there are grade crossings unlike the Northeast Corridor, but get the trains running at 110 mph. This seems to have taken forever.

 

[Anthony V]

Potentially 110mph service will begin on May 2nd, 2023. This past week a southbound/northbound 110mph test was completed and it was supposedly the last one.

Where did you hear this? I just googled for news about this, and all I got were old articles stating that the train was increasing speeds to 90 mph from late 2021.

 

[MisterUptempo]

This is the Midwest and I realize there are grade crossings unlike the Northeast Corridor, but get the trains running at 110 mph. This seems to have taken forever.

It has taken a while, but one must consider that somebody had to be the first one to devise a way for I-ETMS to work at speeds over 90 mph. If it works, it just means that any other corridor that attempts to upgrade to 110mph will have one less major obstacle to overcome.

Now, to get the Chicago-Joliet segment onto the Rock Island and find a faster path between Granite City and St. Louis. Then, to double track the whole route.

 

[Everydaymatters]

...has anyone noticed the fences they put along these high-speed tracks? Really nice! Wish I had them in my yard. Back to the hi speed taking so long and the pessimism, it was long ago that there was a presentation in BLN about the hi speed train. Finally there was an announcement that there would be hi speed along some segments. Meanwhile, in Bloomington/Normal, there was talk about putting up an overpass for pax to go from the depot side to the other side. Had it been done at that time, it would not have cost the city anything. "They", whoever "they" are, decided they wanted an underpass. That still hasn't happened. Everything except inflation just moves too slowly.

 

[TransitTyrant]

Where did you hear this? I just googled for news about this, and all I got were old articles stating that the train was increasing speeds to 90 mph from late 2021.

Union Pacific employees who like spilling the beans. Granted this is provided the tests went well, which we don’t know.

 

[TransitTyrant]

According to this, after phase II is complete a 5th RT can be added to the corridor. Since 5 trains already run per day is it safe to assume this is a 5th Lincoln Service? What else beyond 110mph is part of phase II? Source:Illinois High Speed Rail Project

 

[daybeers]

Just as an aside, it's absolutely ridiculous to have spent so much money on speed improvements and capacity upgrades to then still have to fight for a fifth round trip. Should be at least double that.

 

[NorthShore]

If more of the elected legislators, and not just the staffers or lobbyists, actually bothered to take the train to Springfield rather than driving, this might have been accomplished a long time ago.

 

[Eric S]

Are we sure that means a fifth "Lincoln" roundtrip and not just allowing the Texas Eagle to run at higher speeds as well as the four Lincoln roundtrips?

 

[NES28]

IIRC the deal with UPRR calls for the number of trains to be capped at 5 round trips (and not all of those permitted 110 mph) until completion of double-track. That will permit 9 round trips. I have not heard anything about UP enforcing the limited number of trains at 110 lately. To get out from under these limitations I think that constructing a publicly owned, grade-separated 220 mph route via Champaign and Springfield, as studied by High-Speed Rail Alliance and IL DOT, would make the most sense. 9 trains on double-track 110 mph Chicago-Bloomington-Springfield could be part of the deal.

 

[daybeers]

Or maybe, just maybe, double track isn't necessary for such a measly low number of trains?

 

[TransitTyrant]

IIRC the deal with UPRR calls for the number of trains to be capped at 5 round trips (and not all of those permitted 110 mph) until completion of double-track. That will permit 9 round trips. I have not heard anything about UP enforcing the limited number of trains at 110 lately. To get out from under these limitations I think that constructing a publicly owned, grade-separated 220 mph route via Champaign and Springfield, as studied by High-Speed Rail Alliance and IL DOT, would make the most sense. 9 trains on double-track 110 mph Chicago-Bloomington-Springfield could be part of the deal.

The agreement has been modified several times now. Originally the Eagle wasn’t supposed to be included, now it will hit 100mph. Skimming thru the EIS documents there’s a possibility of a train that can be added that serves Chicago-Springfield only now. There’s no reason why more trains can be added as more capacity upgrades are built.

 

[amtrakp42]

Actually things has gone backwards. I rode from Normal to Chicago 3 or 4 years ago and there was about a 50 mile stretch north of Normal it ran 110 mph. And it did show that on my phone app. Then after new signaling was installed Union Pacific indicated the new signaling would only allow 90 mph safely. And I rode it last year twice with it getting up to 90 but only in certain spots? So now a few years later we may get back up to 110 mph after billions were spent on Union Pacific tracks (concrete ties from Alton to Joliet and signals from the high speed money. Actually Illinois got more money as Wisconsin turned down the money so President Oboma gave it all to Illinois. Actually going from 79 to 90 mph along with several spots not being able to run that fast, little time was gained! 110 mph sounds great, but with all the time slowing down for freights to get on siding that is if a long freight will fit on siding,if not then Amtrak is put on siding or if freight went into siding Amtrak has to stop at the next signal for freight finish pulling thru. This happens often on the western Union Pacific and BNSF tracks. So higher speed will work if freights always get on the siding so Amtrak does not have to slow down and no more longer freights. I believe we know when that may happen! But I will still ride Amtrak as I have for over 40 years mostly on the western long distance trains. but those roomette prices are driving me crazy.