Midwest Regional Rail Initiative - Page 40

jpIllInoIs · #**781** Posted **Dec 14, 2011, 3:34 PM**

http://www.midwesthsr.org/home

If you haven't looked lately the Midwest High Speed Rail website has been updated. Specifically the section on Union Station.

Union Station vision thing

rockyi · #**782** Posted **Dec 15, 2011, 12:36 AM**

It's nice to hear all of the enthusiasm around the Quad Cities about this with very few negative comments. Most people can't wait.

waltlantz · #**783** Posted **Dec 15, 2011, 1:46 AM**

I dunno, maybe it's just that only the converted are commenting, while the contrarians aren't or there is a large amount of people ambivalent or ignorant of the project.

Don't read too much into internet comments.

ardecila · #**784** Posted **Dec 17, 2011, 9:38 AM**

So the Grand Crossing project study has gotten started. Apparently there was a public meeting a few days ago, not that IDOT bothered to get the word out. I couldn't go, but there isn't much to present at this point anyway.

http://www.grandcrossingrail.com/

Unfortunately, this seems like a classic case of the left hand being unaware of the right hand. IDOT's Tier II study for the St. Louis corridor is looking at Chicago access alternatives, including using the CN St. Charles Air Line and building a direct connection from that line into Union Station (probably a flyover but could also be underground).

Such a connection would be somewhat more expensive, but vastly superior to the Grand Crossing project from a regional perspective, since it would allow commuter trains to run from the south suburbs into Union Station while still serving the dense south lakefront. Really, that connection should have been built as soon as the IC's Central Station was closed in the 70s.

Plus, it looks like the Grand Crossing project will include substantial expansion of capacity on the Norfolk Southern line north of Grand Crossing. I don't see why taxpayers should pay for an inferior project that just enlarges the capacity of a private railroad.

jpIllInoIs · #**785** Posted **Jan 2, 2012, 10:00 PM**

Station upgrades that were funded and/or began construction in 2011.

I thought it would be useful to review some of the progress that the Midwest states made in the combined MWRRI effort in 2011. (note that MWRRI = Midwest Regional Rail Initiative as properly titled by the thread starter Ardecila) Not to be confused with the MWHSR effort which is pointless to report on.

The genius of the MWRRI is that it has properly identified many different investments required to successfully build a high functioning regional rail system. And it has broken the investment down into manageable and achievable parts that can survive the shifting political and financial winds.

So while the temporary setbacks in Ohio and Wisconsin and to a smaller extent Iowa and most recently Troy, MI may 'derail' those particular efforts. They really had no significant overall impact and in fact redirected funds to the willing participant MWRRI states.

Among the requirements for successful Intercity Rail and Regional Rail systems is passenger distribution at the beginning and end of the trip.
Chicago is obviously the most well equipped city for this task. But feeder cities also need well functioning transit stations that can accommodate Intercity buses, city transit buses, taxis, long term parking, bikes and pedestrians as well as the Regional Intercity rail trains. Here are some recent winners:

Bloomington Normal, IL Multi Modal hub
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Moline, IL Multi-Modal Hub.
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Alton, IL Multi-Modal Hub
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And St. Paul, MN Union Station which has large renovation plans and is to be the hub of the Twin Cities regional transit plan.
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Other upgraded stations from 2010 and earlier include, Milwaukee downtown and airport stations, St. Louis downtown and Racine, WI stations.

St. Louis Gateway Multi Modal station (opened 2008)
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Milwaukee Downtown Intermodal (opened 2007)
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Sturtevant, WI (Racine) (opened 2006)
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Milwaukee Airport Amtrak (opened 2005)
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Michigan also won funding for the Birmingham/Troy Multi-Modal station but that was rejected last month by a Tea Party activist mayor and 4 councilmen. I expect that grant to be re-allocated to another Michigan city with Grand Rapids, Lansing and Ann Arbor all having viable, competitive multi modal station plans on the table and will gladly accept the Troy money.

Next up: track upgrades..

ardecila · #**786** Posted **Jan 3, 2012, 1:59 AM**

Your Alton picture shows a bus terminal in Alton's downtown, not the Amtrak station. Alton did just receive a TIGER grant to build a new relocated station (and to plan a town center development around it). However, there are no visuals yet as architectural design has not yet begun.

Currently Alton is using the old station on College Ave, but the new station will be at Wadlow Town Center, a redevelopment of the Wadlow public golf course. Neither site is close to Alton's downtown.

Interestingly Alton serves as a popular alternative station for St Louis area passengers who would rather not sit on the train for the long, slow crawl through congested East St Louis.

You didn't mention the (relatively) new station in Champaign.

Source: Wikipedia

daperpkazoo · #**787** Posted **Jan 3, 2012, 4:27 AM**

I thought I would share a few of Saint Paul's Union Depot that's currently under construction.

As far as service is concerned, Amtrak's Empire Builder, intercity bus service (Greyhound and Jefferson Lines), and local and express bus service (Metro Transit, MVTA) will be starting service in late 2012. There has also been talk of adding a "second Empire Builder"-- a second daily roundtrip form either Minneapolis or Saint Cloud to Chicago. Both would stop at SPUD.

The Central Corridor will start running in 2014. NLX (110-mph to Duluth) will likely stop here after Minneapolis, starting around 2016-2018 if things pan out.

Looking long-term, the station would also be served by HSR to Chicago (obviously), 3 commuter lines (Gateway, Red Rock, and Rush), and two additional LRT lines (Robert Street and White Bear).

The initial build-out is for 2 through-running LRT tracks in front of the headhouse, served by a pair of 300' side platforms and 4 through-running heavy rail tracks below the concourse, served by a 1200' island platform and an 800' island platform, as well as the bus depot below the concourse. Long-term, there are plans to add 2 more through-running heavy rail tracks and 2 stub LRT tracks, both below the concourse, served by an 800' island and a 300' island.

The image below is from the RCRRA website here: http://blog.regionalrail.org/wp-cont...DD-6-18-10.pdf

Below image of the construction of the new train deck and concourse remodel from the SPUD Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...2351455&type=3

jpIllInoIs · #**788** Posted **Jan 5, 2012, 1:32 AM**

Illinois continues to benefit from the MWRRI 25 year planning process that preceded Obama's HSR and HrSR initiatives. More track and signal upgrades are on the way for the Dwight-Joliet segment in 2012.

Railroad.net

llinois Receives $186 Million High-Speed Rail Grant
by devon-ritchie on January 4, 2012

The Illinois Department of Transportation, or IDOT, was awarded over $186 million Wednesday in order to fund its high-speed rail project. Amtrak ridership has increased by 137% in the past five years between St. Louis and Chicago. With the Great Lakes and Midwest economic region ranking as the world’s fifth largest economy by GDP, according to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, there has become an increased demand for faster and cheaper public transportation in the area.

The current plan for the construction project would extend the St. Louis to Chicago route further North to reach Joliet, IL. About 70% of the track will also be able to accomodate high-speed trains that reach speeds of 110 miles per hour. The Department of Transportation expects the project to decrease transportation times by more than one hour. With an estimated 100 million people living within 500 miles of one another in the region, the route has become overly crowded, and the reduced travel time will be a welcome improvement for many. LaHood and the Department of Transportation hope that this project will make the Midwest an even better region to start and grow businesses, which means more jobs as well. Construction on the project is expected to begin in the Spring of 2012.

ardecila · #**789** Posted **Jan 5, 2012, 2:35 AM**

This isn't new news, right? They're just disbursing the funds that were already awarded several months ago.

jpIllInoIs · #**790** Posted **Jan 5, 2012, 3:44 AM**

^ Good question. It was a news release today. Is it new?

the urban politician · #**791** Posted **Jan 5, 2012, 5:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila

This isn't new news, right? They're just disbursing the funds that were already awarded several months ago.

^ I think it is news.

I thought the current funds for 110 mph rail were only from Dwight on south. This now moves it up to Joliet.

Centropolis · #**792** Posted **Jan 5, 2012, 6:12 AM**

St. Louis doesnt exist.

ardecila · #**793** Posted **Jan 5, 2012, 9:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ I think it is news.

I thought the current funds for 110 mph rail were only from Dwight on south. This now moves it up to Joliet.

Right, but we've known about this money since last May. If Greg Hinz is right, the only reason they didn't include Dwight-Joliet in the initial round is because the Peotone airport faction wanted the new line to pass by the airport - which isn't feasible if the line goes via Joliet. I guess they were placated by the 220mph study that promises to use the IC line which runs right by Peotone.

ardecila · #**794** Posted **Jan 19, 2012, 5:22 AM**

New Talgo rendering.

I want to be pissed at how ugly this thing is, but I can't stop laughing. Seriously, is this the best we can do under FRA regulations? The damn thing is smiling at me.

Markitect · #**795** Posted **Jan 19, 2012, 6:36 AM**

April Fools Day is still a few months away.

EDIT: Oh God, it is real!

Busy Bee · #**796** Posted **Jan 20, 2012, 8:50 PM**

Embarrassing. Where to begin at how ridiculous this thing is?

zilfondel · #**797** Posted **Jan 20, 2012, 11:10 PM**

Oh god, and thats going to my state.

It reminds me of a shortened, uglified version of the Japanese duckbilled shinkansen.

jpIllInoIs · #**798** Posted **Jan 21, 2012, 1:20 PM**

Troy Michigan city council have revisited the Fed grant to build a Multi modal transit station that would serve Amtrak, Birmingham & Troy regional buses, Greyhound and other intercity buses and offer long-term parking.

After a whole lot of very sharp criticism for turning down an $8.5 mil federal construction grant...

"The Troy Council was surprised by the national attention it got (all negative) about its vote, and major employers advised publicly they had advised their corporate boards not to make further investment in such a backward-looking city."

2 articles here:

NARP Article

Detroit Free Press article

jpIllInoIs · #**799** Posted **Jan 21, 2012, 2:30 PM**

Minnesota is initiating and Wisconsin DOT is at least cooperating with a new push to add a 2nd daily St.Paul - Milwaukee -Chicago train service which would be run on the existing Empire Builder route.

Full Article

emathias · #**800** Posted **Jan 21, 2012, 3:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by zilfondel

Oh god, and thats going to my state.

It reminds me of a shortened, uglified version of the Japanese duckbilled shinkansen.

It looks like the personification of a train. I could totally make a cartoon out of a character that looked like that.