<< Rail News Home:
High-Speed Rail3/30/2012
Rail News: High-Speed Rail
Work to resume on Chicago-to-St. Louis high-speed corridor
The
Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and
Union Pacific Railroad will soon resume work upgrading Illinois’ Chicago-to-St. Louis high-speed route for future high-speed
Amtrak trains.
From April 16 through May 25, work will focus on the installation of new premium rail with concrete ties and ballast; upgrades to bridges, culverts and drainage; signal and wayside equipment installations and upgrades; and grade crossing improvements, Amtrak officials said in a prepared statement.
Most days, the work will result in transporting Amtrak Lincoln Service riders at St. Louis, Alton and Carlinville by chartered buses. Amtrak Texas Eagle riders will be detoured between Chicago and St. Louis during the same period, with alternate transportation in both directions between Joliet and St. Louis, Amtrak officials said.
The infrastructure improvements will enable Amtrak trains to travel at speeds up to 110 mph, an increase from the current maximum of 79 mph. IDOT and Amtrak plan to preview higher-speed trains in September from Dwight to Pontiac.
