About the Quad Cities Passenger Rail Coalition
The
Quad Cities Passenger Rail Coalition ("QC Rail") is advocating on
behalf of the greater Quad City region for restored passenger rail service.
A
thriving metropolitan area of 400,000 residents, the Quad City region is the
next most logical addition to the passenger rail system. The Quad Cities is located on a highly populated passenger rail route
being considered to connect Chicago with the Quad Cities (400,000 residents),
Iowa City/Cedar Rapids (390,000 residents), Des Moines (500,000 residents),
and Omaha (820,000 residents).
As
a result of substantial ridership increases on existing Illinois routes, the
Illinois Department of Transportation and Amtrak are planning expanded routes
to include restored passenger rail service between Chicago and the Quad
Cities.
Amtrak service from Chicago to the Quad Cities is the lynchpin for an extended
route being planned along a highly populated corridor from the Quad Cities to
Iowa City, Des Moines, and Omaha.
The Iowa Department of Transportation is working with Amtrak to extend
service from the Quad Cities to Iowa City.
QC Rail Advocates for Priorities in Amtrak Reauthorization Bill
The
Quad Cities Passenger Rail Coalition recently sent letters to House members of
the Amtrak Reauthorization Bill Conference Committee, including Rep.
Bruce Braley (D-IA), encouraging conferees to include provisions that
will help restore passenger rail service from Chicago to the Quad
Cities, with continued service from the Quad Cities to Iowa City.
The Amtrak Reauthorization Bill would establish the authority for new
Amtrak funding levels, including appropriations for state intercity
passenger rail grants. Since the U.S. House and U.S. Senate
have each passed different versions of the bill, a conference
committee must now negotiate a consolidated final version. Senate
conferees have yet to be announced.
The following summarizes the Quad Cities Passenger Rail Coalition's
priorities for the Amtrak Reauthorization Conference Report.
- $2.5 billion ($500 million annually for
five years) for state capital intercity passenger rail grants
(House version)
- Authorization of high speed rail and congestion grants (House version)
- 80 percent federal match for state capital grants, congestion grants, and high speed rail grants (Senate and House version)
- Add a new project selection criteria that grants funding priority for new and restored passenger rail routes with
a completed Amtrak feasibility study
- Request a feasibility analysis regarding the expansion of the Chicago Hub Network High Speed Rail Corridor from
Chicago to Omaha via the Quad Cities, Iowa City, and Des Moines
Click
Here to Read QC Rail's Letter
U.S.
Senator Dick Durbin Introduces Legislation to Help Amtrak and States
Keep Pace with Growing Ridership |
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S.
3360, known as the
"Train CARS Act," provides funding to encourage manufacturers
currently supplying passenger rail cars overseas to bring their modern
design and manufacturing expertise to the U.S.
and open manufacturing facilities here to meet growing demand. The bill
also provides a tax incentive for private, domestic businesses to re-enter the
passenger rail equipment business and rebuild facilities and train cars here
in the U.S. |
Rep.
Bruce Braley Named to the Amtrak Bill Conference Committee |
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Today,
Rep. Bruce Braley (IA) announced his appointment as a conference committee
member for the 2008 Amtrak Reauthorization Bill. The conference
committee will develop a final version of the Amtrak Bill, which provides
funding for passenger rail service. Rep.
Phil Hare Seeks $13.5 Million Earmark for the Quad Cities Amtrak Route |
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"The release of a feasibility study earlier this year regarding passenger rail from the Quad Cities to Chicago was very exciting news, with estimated costs significantly less than expected. I am strongly committed to returning passenger rail to our region. Amtrak’s ridership numbers, particularly in Illinois , have steadily been climbing and the demand for additional lines continues to increase. Passenger rail will help create jobs, grow businesses, and attract college students to area schools. It will also serve as a viable transportation alternative for working families who are facing record high gas prices and unprecedented cancellations and delays at our nation’s airports. At my invitation, House Transportation Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar visited the Quad Cities to meet with local supporters of Amtrak and create momentum for the project. He was able to see firsthand what we all know: a Quad Cities-Chicago line is a win-win for our region. The first passenger rail train pulled into the Quad Cities more than 150 years ago. It’s time for it to finally return to this area." |
Representative
Phil Hare announced that he'sQC Rail Celebrates 1st Anniversary
200 passenger rail supporters
helped celebrate the Quad Cities Passenger 
Rail Coalition's 1st Anniversary on
May 19, 2008 aboard the Celebration Belle river boat in Moline. State
and federal legislators, Amtrak officials, and Illinois and Iowa DOT officials
were recognized for their support (see picture).
Ever since the Coalition was organized in May 2007, support has continued to grow. Over 300 area community and business leaders joined the coalition during its first month and by September 2007, members numbered over 1000. Currently, support for the QC Rail Passenger Rail Coalition has reached over 3800 members. Nearly 100 businesses, labor and community organizations, and governmental entities have signed on as official supporters.
The Coalition has made great strides over the past year by working with area legislators, community, labor and business leaders, and passenger rail advocates to bring restored service closer to reality. Organized as an initiative of the Illinois Quad City Chamber’s Blueprint 2010, the Coalition thrives on the excitement and support from its active Steering Committee members and Coalition supporters.
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Illinois
and
Iowa Senators Identify Trains for Quad Cities Amtrak Service |
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U.S. Senator Dick Durbin recently led a group of U.S. Senators in requesting that Amtrak refurbish existing trains for the Chicago to Quad Cities Amtrak route. In a joint letter signed by Dick Durbin (IL), Barack Obama (IL), Tom Harkin (IA), Chuck Grassley (IA), Joseph Biden (DE), and Tom Carper (DE), the Senators identified former Amtrak trains being stored in a Delaware maintenance yard that could be used to restore service in the Quad Cities. This
proactive step helps to alleviate a potential hurdle identified in
recent Amtrak route feasibility studies: the short supply of existing
trains. According to their press release: “Enthusiasm
for passenger rail service is at an all-time high, driven by high fuel
prices, growing congestion and environmental concern. Amtrak has
seen phenomenal growth in |
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Amtrak Completes
Chicago to Quad Cities Feasibility Study
In
early 2007, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin raised awareness of the effort to restore
passenger rail in the Quad Cities by facilitating Illinois DOT’s request for
Amtrak to study service from Chicago to the Quad Cities.
In
February 2007, IDOT requested Amtrak conduct a feasibility study for the Quad
Cities to Chicago route, which was completed in January 2008.
The Amtrak feasibility study analyzes passenger rail service between
the Quad Cities to Chicago, including route analysis, construction cost,
ridership estimates, running time, revenue, operating expenses, necessary
subsidies. Click
here to view the complete study:
The
Amtrak feasibility report identified the shortest and most direct route for 2
daily roundtrip departures from the Quad Cities and Chicago (Note: Capital
cost does not include station costs):
Preferred Service Level:
79 mph service on Quad Cities-Naperville-Chicago via IAIS-BNSF-Amtrak
| Capital Cost: $22.7 million | Annual Ridership: 110,800 |
| Train rehabilitation: $5.6 million (3 train cars) | Running Time: 3 hours, 20 minutes |
| State Operating Contract: $5.9 million |
“As-Is”
Service at Current Speeds
| Capital Cost: $5.6 million | Annual Ridership: 90,000 |
| Train rehabilitation: $6.3 million (2 train cars) | Running Time: 4 hours |
| State Operating Contract: $6.3 million |
Amtrak Completes Quad Cities to Iowa City Feasibility Study
Amtrak service from Chicago to the Quad Cities is the lynchpin for an extended route being planned along a highly populated corridor from the Quad Cities to Iowa City, Des Moines, and Omaha. The Iowa Department of Transportation is working with Amtrak to extend service from the Quad Cities to Iowa City.
The
following are details from the recently completed feasibility study for Amtrak
passenger rail service from the Quad Cities to Iowa City via the Iowa
Interstate Railroad. Click
here for the full report.
| "As-Is" Speeds | 60 mph | 79 mph | |
| Running time: | 2 hours 20 minutes | 1 hour 57 minutes | 1 hour 38 minutes |
| Estimated Annual Ridership: | 43,800 | 60,700 | 76,100 |
| Capital Cost: | $.3 million | $26.1 million | $32.5 million |
| Estimated Revenue: | $1.2 million | $1.7 million | $2.2 million |
| Estimated Operating Expenses: | $2.1 million | $1.9 million | $2.3 million |
Iowa and Illinois would share the annual state operating contract for the Chicago/Quad Cities/Iowa City route.
