(The following story by Thomas Geyer appeared on the Quad City Times website on December 2.)
DAVENPORT, Iowa — The Moline Committee of the Whole unanimously agreed Tuesday to accept Moline Centre Station as the Quad-Cities Amtrak Station, according to a news release issued by the Paul Rumler, executive director of the Quad-Cities Passenger Rail Coalition.
In their decision City Council members merely agreed with a recently completed Metropolitan Rail Study which was conducted over the past year through a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The proposed Amtrak route would then be from Centre Station to Chicago’s Union Station.
The Metropolitan Rail Study contracted with Stanley Consultants to develop a station recommendation. Eight Quad-City sites were evaluated.
“This station recommendation is a major milestone in the effort to restore passenger rail service to the Quad-Cities,” Rumler said. “We now have a preferred route from the Quad-Cities to Chicago, a recommended Quad-Cities Amtrak station location and detailed studies showing that service is feasible.”