SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed a bill creating a state high speed rail commission. House Bill 399, sponsored by Rep. Martin Moylan (D-Des Plaines) will require the commission to create a statewide plan for a high speed rail line connecting Chicago and St. Louis. [see “Digest: Delays add $300 million to cost of Gateway project,” Trains News Wire, March 9, 2021].
WIFR-TV reports the commission will create a report on a high speed system that will offer connections to Rockford, Moline, Peoria, and Decatur.
The bill establishes a 21-member commission to conduct a ridership study and make decisions about a governance structure, service frequency, and implementation of the plan. It calls for use of existing Amtrak and Metra service as part of a feeder network that will also coordinate with intercity bus service.
Here, here to Messers. Shoemaker and Chandler! Most important to attract ridership is frequency, reliability, comfort, reasonable fares (although what’s “reasonable” can be subject to debate), and conventional speeds in their higher range (70-90). The problem is these hotshot politicians, all of them Ds and none who I suspect have ever ridden Amtrak or a commuter train for a legit transportation purpose, have become addicted to the concept of HSR. And foremost among them is Cong. Seth Moulton of MA (D-6th). I read an article recently in which he utterly dismisses conventional and even “Higher Speed Rail” (90-110) saying Americans “have to go fast” or words to that effect. Their insisting that the perfect is the enemy of the good is gonna result in the demise of good faith efforts to build new-start services and expand existing ones.
James: precisely what should be done. Start the service conventionally, then prove your business model. Once you have a sound business, incremental capital improvements will be sustainable and effective. This committee is composed largely of politicians which will doom its efforts. Finally, passenger rail will never produce positive returns, only constantly increasing costs. Admit this in advance is important. Cheers.
We need to stop squandering money on HSR pipe dreams and follow the example of NC. Charlotte-Raleigh service was two trains a day with a snaking piece of mostly single track slow speed line between Greensboro and Raleigh. NC over time has put in sidings, straightened out curves, raised speeds and increased frequencies. Nothing fancy and they’re working on upgrades for 90 mph. It has become very popular. Especially with college students. Stop wasting money. Start the bloody service and make it reliable with good equipment and upgrade over time.
The HSR between Chicago and St. Louis has become a joke. Yes, funding was doled out during the Obama Admin. Still no high speed trains.
Talk about featherbedding. How many other people will they have to pay off?
But, but, but, I thought the CHI-STL initiative had been funded and begun by and during the Obama administration. What’s become of that? And doesn’t UPRR have some say in this? Or are they gonna build a new railroad parallel? And the Tollway Authority? Seriously? All they would ever want to do is build I-55 2.0
The state started pouring money into this route long before the Obama administration took office. They probably could have bought it from the ICG at a bargain price and not been jumping thru hoops to please UP before UP ever considered buying it. Most of the early money was spent on upgrading grade crossings so they could run trains at 90 MPH but somehow that never happened, except for the temporary stretch from Dwight to Pontiac and that’s back to 79 MPH again.
1) The Governor or his or her designee.
12 (2) The President of the Senate or his or her
13 designee.
14 (3) The Minority Leader of the Senate or his or her
15 designee.
16 (4) The Speaker of the House or his or her designee.
17 (5) The Minority Leader of the House or his or her
18 designee.
19 (6) The Secretary of Transportation or his or her
20 designee.
21 (7) The Chairperson of the Illinois State Toll Highway
22 Authority or his or her designee.
23 (8) The Chairperson of the Illinois Commerce
1 Commission or his or her designee.
2 (9) The Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Metra
3 or his or her designee.
4 (10) The Mayor of the City of Chicago or his or her
5 designee.
6 (11) A representative of a labor organization
7 representing rail workers.
8 (12) A representative of a trade organization related
9 to the rail industry.
10 (13) A representative of the Metropolitan Mayors and
11 Managers Association.
12 (14) A representative from the Illinois Railroad
13 Association.
14 (15) A representative from the University of Illinois
15 System.
16 (16) A representative from the Municipal Planning
17 Organization.
18 (17) A representative of the Illinois Municipal
19 League.
20 (18) A representative of the Champaign-Urbana Mass
21 Transit District.
definition: committee: where ideas go to die.
How about upgrading the existing Chicago to Carbondale to at least 90.
I know Illinois is broke and a 21 person commission is overkill.
Mike
And of course the fact that a plan already exists and only needs flushing out!!!
Even if you like the idea of high or higher speed rail in the Midwest, which I do, 21 people to do this seems ridiculous. And of course why can’t IDOT staffers do the work
Yeah Illinois, get it done!
Amen, Charles. 21 more people on the payroll in a bankrupt state. I used to live in Commiefornia, you see how wonderful that HSR system is running; I predict the same for Illinois.
Looks like the people are already being compensated: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=10200HB0399&GA=102&SessionId=110&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=128395&DocNum=399&GAID=16&SpecSess=&Session=
I did not see where there were any amounts for wages. It just appoints existing job titles (or their designee) with no compensations. Such asea
(3) The Minority Leader of the Senate or his or her designee.
A 21-member commission? To study creating a governance structure? What will the governance structure consist of, 42 members? Or will it be 63? zor 84?
Illinois is bankrupt and has no idea how to keep Metra in business, but it thinks it can get HSR to St. Louis.