(The following story by Doug Schorpp appeared on the Quad City Times website on December 19.)
DAVENPORT, Iowa — As the Quad-Cities Passenger Rail Coalition awaits the results of a feasibility study on the proposed Chicago-to-Quad-Cities passenger route, support for the concept is growing.
At Tuesday’s Toast & Topics program, hosted by Davenport-One at the Lodge in Bettendorf, leaders of railway groups from both sides of the river provided updates on the project.
Jim Bohnsack, coalition chairman, discussed the developments and how to support the effort. Eliot Keller, of the Iowa Association of Railroad Passengers, talked about the challenges of bringing direct passenger rail services to Midwestern destinations, including the Quad-Cities, Iowa City, Des Moines and Dubuque in Iowa, and all the way into Nebraska.
In September, the coalition had more than 1,100 members who want to see passenger rail service restored. Tuesday, Paul Rumler, director of community and economic development for the Illinois Quad-City Chamber of Commerce, said those numbers have grown.
“Support has been excellent: 2,500 members, 60 business members,” he said. “There also are 600 students who have signed up (on a Facebook site) and are supportive.”
The group includes students from Augustana College in Rock Island, St. Ambrose University in Davenport and other area colleges. Rumler said the effort was initiated by an Augustana student. Officials said a large portion of college students in the Quad-City area are from Chicago and its suburbs and likely would use the passenger rail service.
Meanwhile, officials are waiting for results of a Illinois Department of Transportation Amtrak route study that was due out in October. Information being compiled includes projections on numbers of riders, necessary infrastructure improvements, frequency of service, route alternatives and costs to implement the service.
Bohnsack said the study could be released soon.
“It will be 30 years in ’08 that we haven’t had passenger rail service in the Quad-Cities,” he told the audience. He said results have come slower than expected, but could be released as early as next week.
Although the outcome is not yet known, Bohnsack said the Iowa Interstate Railroad likely would be the rail line used. He also said the Chicago-to-Quad-Cities route would take about 3 hours and 15 minutes, would be non-stop and the train would travel at 79 mph.
The coalition estimates it will take about $45 million in capital funding from the State of Illinois to begin work on the route.
Keller said the Iowa DOT is behind the effort more than ever before.
“Illinois has a long-standing history of supporting rail passenger trains. Iowa has not had a long-standing support of rail passenger trains. It is as simple as that,” he said.
Last month, some Iowa leaders in Des Moines said they are ready to explore new passenger rail options, including the possibility of a route from the Quad-Cities to Lincoln, Neb.
Keller said the priority is Chicago to the Quad-Cities. After that, an extension to Iowa City will be studied. If that occurs, extending the route to Des Moines would be the next goal. Eventually, he said Nebraska officials would like the Chicago route to go to Lincoln.
Bohnsack said despite some questions as to what type of train would be used for the twice-daily Chicago-to-Quad-Cities service, he assured the audience that it would involve “modern equipment,” including WiFi capabilities, “good food service and all those comforts.”