 Ridership
on the Chicago-Bloomington/Normal-Springfield-St. Louis Lincoln
Service and Texas Eagle increased 6 percent from fiscal 2009 and 21
percent from fiscal 2007. (See table.)
"In a difficult year for the economy -- particularly in the
travel industry -- Amtrak Illinois ridership has remained strong,"
said Amtrak President and CEO Joseph H. Boardman.
The Illinois DOT plans to take the 284-mile Chicago-St. Louis
corridor to even higher ridership totals and frequencies by applying
for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding. Included in the
applications is double-tracking the corridor from Chicago to St.
Louis, largely in the 220 miles between the Joliet and Alton
stations, and other improvements to reduce the travel times between
the endpoints by 90 minutes, to less than four hours, from the
current schedule of more than five hours, 15 minutes.
"By reducing future travel times by 90 minutes or more,
increasing frequencies and capacity, and improving service
reliability with double-tracking from Chicago to St. Louis, the
ridership numbers can be expected to improve even more
dramatically," said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig.
"The intent is to provide an affordable and safe alternative to
driving for business people, shoppers, tourists and others in
Illinois."
Amtrak and the Illinois DOT have worked closely with Union
Pacific Railroad to improve reliability on the route and develop
plans to increase the number of daily Chicago-St. Louis round trips
from five to nine. Union Pacific owns most of the 284-mile corridor
and has projected the need for double-tracking the route for on-time
performance with increased train volumes.
Other routes
The Illinois DOT also supports Amtrak Hiawatha Service trains
between Chicago and Milwaukee, one of the top six Amtrak corridors
nationally. During fiscal 2009, ridership fell by 1.5 percent from
fiscal 2008 but increased by 24 percent from fiscal 2007. This
service is a partnership with the Wisconsin Department of
Transportation and Amtrak.
[to top of second column] |
Along the Chicago-Galesburg-Macomb-Quincy route of the Illinois
Zephyr, Carl Sandburg and other trains, passenger counts were up
slightly from fiscal 2008 and up by 19 percent from fiscal 2007. The
Chicago-Champaign-Mattoon-Carbondale route of the Illini, Saluki and
City of New Orleans mirrored the national average with a decline of
5 percent from fiscal 2008 to fiscal 2009 and rising by 10 percent
when compared with fiscal 2007.
About Amtrak
As the nation's intercity passenger rail operator, Amtrak
connects America in safer, greener and healthier ways. Last fiscal
year (fiscal 2009), the railroad carried 27.2 million passengers,
making it the second-best year in the company's history. With 21,000
route miles in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three
Canadian provinces, Amtrak operates more than 300 trains each day --
at speeds up to 150 mph -- to more than 500 destinations. Amtrak
also is the operator of choice for state-supported corridor services
in 15 states and for four commuter rail agencies. Visit
Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL
for schedules, fares and more information.
About the Illinois Department of Transportation
The mission of Illinois Department of Transportation is to
provide safe, cost-effective transportation for Illinois in ways
that enhance quality of life, promote economic prosperity and
demonstrate respect for our environment. The department strives each
day to accomplish its mission while making the following principles
the hallmark of all its work: safety, integrity, responsiveness,
quality and innovation. Visit
www.dot.state.il.us for more information.
[Text from
Amtrak
Illinois file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information] |
