Lincoln service speed limit increased

[George Harris]

*the 79mph speed limit. I've heard that Illinois Central passenger trains often operated around 100mph.

First, the current Chicago to St. Louis route was GM&O, previously Alton Route and never had a speed limit faster than 79 mph. However, I have heard that the GM&O was known to allow some fudging on speed limits where conditions permitted.

Second, there was a section of the ICRR in Illinois that had a passenger train speed limit of 100 mph. I don't know the limits of this section otherwise than "in Illinois". Much of the remaining ICRR mainline did have a 79 mph limit, and if the train was on time it was generally observed. If the train was late, at least if the premier trains, which were the Panama Limited, City of New Orleans, and City of Miami, where the engineer felt reasonable to do so, he would likely go faster. Remember these were the days of relatively short crew districts and men at the top of the seniority roster, so they knew their track well and had no intention of doing anything stupid. A random thought here, I recall in one discussion at the time, the average age of these guys on top passenger trains was around 70.

 

[railbuck]

Second, there was a section of the ICRR in Illinois that had a passenger train speed limit of 100 mph. I don't know the limits of this section otherwise than "in Illinois".

This speed limit table from 1960 shows 100 mph between Champaign and Branch Jct (Centralia). That's 120+ miles with hardly any curves.
CLASSIC HIGH SPEED

 

[west point]

Panama limited link.
The Panama Limited - October, 1962 - Streamliner Schedules

 

[TC_NYC]

I've only ridden the CHI-STL corridor once but one thing that really surprised me is how the trains had to pull into a siding and then reverse out. This is the only route that I've ever experienced this on. Have they at least fixed this?

 

[George Harris]

This speed limit table from 1960 shows 100 mph between Champaign and Branch Jct (Centralia). That's 120+ miles with hardly any curves.
CLASSIC HIGH SPEED

Considering that the St. Louis line is being "gussied up" with continuous welded rail and concrete ties before these higher speeds are allowed it should be noted that the ICRR 100 mph limit was on tracks with jointed rails on timber ties throughout.

 

[jpakala]

I've used the Chicago/Saint Louis trains a lot and never had backing up to exit a siding.

 

[NES28]

I've used the Chicago/Saint Louis trains a lot and never had backing up to exit a siding.

This used to be a frequent occurrence, before the IL DOT improvements to the track and signals on the sidings, as well as the additional ones.

 

[Cal]

According to Jeb Brook's Empire Builder video, they did that sometime in North Dakota or Montana. Can't remember which

 

[BlackDiamond]

I've used the Chicago/Saint Louis trains a lot and never had backing up to exit a siding.

That happened to us once on the Eastbound Downeaster when we had a 3 way meet with a Westbound passenger and Westbound freight, they put us in the siding behind the freight then we backed out after the other passenger had passed. Pretty slick actually.

I have heard that freights often do this even on double ended non CTC sidings to avoid having the conductor walk the length of the train to throw the switch to exit the siding.

 

[moosejunky99]

Sure beats driving to St. Louis... It is like an hour more then driving but less headache if no delays of course..

 

[rs9]

Curious what is blocking the jump from 90 mph to 110 mph now besides the lack of cooperation with Union Pacific.

 

[20th Century Rider]

Ohhh boyyyyy, only $1.9 billion and how many years spent on this? I guess we still should celebrate the increase...until they are negated plus some by stupid dispatchers.

Here's my favorite part of the article:

Inefficient government requires lots n lots of patience... with emphasis on s-l-o-w.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Even now, the double-stacks move pretty quick. In late 2020 I was driving north on I-55 and remember being impressed at how fast the freights were moving in the sections where the tracks parallel the expressway.

 

[neroden]

Even now, the double-stacks move pretty quick. In late 2020 I was driving north on I-55 and remember being impressed at how fast the freights were moving in the sections where the tracks parallel the expressway.

That's an underlying phenomenon which is affecting the whole railroad industry: intermodals are light, they're time-sensitive, they move fast and they need to move fast. Most of the US railroad industry optimized decades back for slow, bulk traffic, and it's *all* declining.

Coal is collapsing *extremely* fast, but other bulk traffic (minerals, forest products, oil, even grain -- and grain is somewhat time-sensitive) has also been dropping over the last few years. So the needs of the railroad industry have been shifting from "slow and heavy" to "fast and light", but most of the railroads have been very slow to change their attitude.