The Illinois Service, branded Amtrak Illinois, comprises three passenger rail routes operated by Amtrak in the American state of Illinois. The Illinois Service is funded primarily by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and falls under the broader Amtrak Midwest brand.

Illinois Service
The Chicago–Quincy Illinois Zephyr, an Illinois Service train
Overview
Service typeInter-city rail
StatusOperating
LocaleIllinois and St. Louis, Missouri
First serviceNovember 14, 1971
Current operator(s)Amtrak
Websitehttps://www.amtrak.com/illinois-services-train
Route
TerminiChicago
St. Louis
Quincy
Carbondale
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Track owner(s)BNSF, UP, CN
Route map
Map
0mi
Chicago
Bus interchange Metra
Metra Bus interchange
La Grange
14 mi
23 km
24 mi
39 km
Homewood
Bus interchange Metra
Metra Bus interchange
Naperville
28 mi
45 km
57 mi
92 km
Kankakee
Bus interchange
Plano
52 mi
84 km
82 mi
132 km
Gilman
Mendota
83 mi
134 km
115 mi
185 km
Rantoul
Princeton
104 mi
167 km
129 mi
208 km
Champaign–Urbana Bus interchange
173 mi
278 km
Mattoon
Geneseo
142 mi
229 km
200 mi
322 km
Effingham
175 mi
282 km
253 mi
407 km
Centralia
289 mi
465 km
Du Quoin
Kewanee
131 mi
211 km
309 mi
497 km
Bus interchange
Bus interchange
Galesburg
162 mi
261 km
Bus interchange
Macomb
202 mi
325 km
12 mi
19 km
Summit
Bus interchange Metra
258 mi
415 km
37 mi
60 km
Joliet
Bus interchange Metra
74 mi
119 km
Dwight
92 mi
148 km
Pontiac
124 mi
200 km
Normal
Bus interchange
156 mi
251 km
Lincoln
185 mi
298 km
Springfield
224 mi
360 km
Carlinville
257 mi
414 km
Alton
284 mi
457 km
Bus interchange MetroLink (St. Louis)

Chicago is a terminus for all three Illinois Service routes, which all have multiple daily round trips:

Proposed expansion

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Two proposed Illinois Service routes have been accepted by the Corridor Identification and Development Program, both in December 2023:

The Quad Cities and the Rockford-Chicago portion of the Black Hawk were to have been added in late 2015[5] but were put on hold by then-Governor Bruce Rauner.[6] They were resurrected and funded in 2019 as part of a transportation bill supported by Governor J.B. Pritzker.[7] In 2023, Pritzker announced that the Rockford-Chicago train will be operated by Metra.[8]

In addition to the two new routes, a committee was formed in late 2021 to study and promote extending the Chicago–Quincy route to Hannibal, Missouri.[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Governor Blagojevich Announces Amtrak Carl Sandburg to Start Running October 30th". Amtrak. National Railroad Passenger Corporation. October 8, 2006. Archived from the original on March 11, 2007. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
  2. ^ "Governor Blagojevich Announces Amtrak Lincoln Service to Start Running October 30th". Amtrak. National Railroad Passenger Corporation. October 14, 2006. Archived from the original on March 12, 2007. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
  3. ^ Rodriguez, Jolie (December 7, 2023). "Peoria a step closer to Amtrak passenger rail service". 25 News. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  4. ^ Doxsee, Alec (December 7, 2023). "Quad Cities-Chicago rail corridor receives $500K grant". WQAD. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  5. ^ Bowen, Douglas John (December 5, 2013). "NARP: New Amtrak Midwest routes advance". Railway Age. Simmons-Boardman Publishing Inc. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  6. ^ "Rauner puts plan for Amtrak service from Chicago to Rockford on hold". ABC 7. February 8, 2015. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  7. ^ "Rail group celebrates 'big win' for Amtrak line from QC to Chicago". WQAD.com. October 23, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  8. ^ Neveau, James (July 6, 2023). "Metra to restore rail service between Rockford, Chicago for first time in 40 years". NBC 5 Chicago. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  9. ^ Edlund, Clare (January 4, 2022). "Hannibal coalition works to attract downtown Amtrak station". WGEM. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
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