(01-12-2023 08:18 PM)Rawdog10 Wrote:  This is great. I’ve been beating this drum on here for awhile. I’m not naive enough to think there won’t be barriers (we have been patiently waiting for Amtrak in the Quad Cities for 40+ years), but the first step is for the community to want the train. By the video, it looks like they do. Now that there’s the will (including political will), hopefully there will be a way. The federal infrastructure bill should help a lot in creating “a way.” This could really, really help the town and university.

1. I wasn't aware that Amtrak did not go through the QB and
2. I wasn't aware the QC was so eager to get a line

With that said...I had to look up the Amtrak map and I have two thoughts.

First, I hope you aren't holding your breath as I don't see the QB being a stop any time soon. Second, why Galesburg? Is it some ancestor of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad? I'm guessing that has to be the reason as it goes through Burlington, IA just after Galesburg (although Galesburg appears to be the more prominent stop in that area.

But with the next logical city being Omaha and along the way to and from Chicago, nothing else making sense to route a line through QC unless they ran a line from Chicago to Des Moines but they could do that by just rerouting from Galesburg/Burlington.

So yeah...I guess if you really have your heart set on an Amtrak line. 1...I'm sorry and 2...my condolences.

(01-12-2023 08:44 PM)Big Red Wrote:  

(01-12-2023 08:18 PM)Rawdog10 Wrote:  This is great. I’ve been beating this drum on here for awhile. I’m not naive enough to think there won’t be barriers (we have been patiently waiting for Amtrak in the Quad Cities for 40+ years), but the first step is for the community to want the train. By the video, it looks like they do. Now that there’s the will (including political will), hopefully there will be a way. The federal infrastructure bill should help a lot in creating “a way.” This could really, really help the town and university.

1. I wasn't aware that Amtrak did not go through the QB and
2. I wasn't aware the QC was so eager to get a line

With that said...I had to look up the Amtrak map and I have two thoughts.

First, I hope you aren't holding your breath as I don't see the QB being a stop any time soon. Second, why Galesburg? Is it some ancestor of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad? I'm guessing that has to be the reason as it goes through Burlington, IA just after Galesburg (although Galesburg appears to be the more prominent stop in that area.

But with the next logical city being Omaha and along the way to and from Chicago, nothing else making sense to route a line through QC unless they ran a line from Chicago to Des Moines but they could do that by just rerouting from Galesburg/Burlington.

So yeah...I guess if you really have your heart set on an Amtrak line. 1...I'm sorry and 2...my condolences.

It’s the QC’s white whale. It’s been in the works for years. There is even a brand-new train station and platform for it in downtown Moline…but no train. It would be logistically easy to do but the problem has been gridlock with various governments (including Iowa) and the railroad for decades. The railroads are truly awful businesses.

Might as well build new football and baseball stadiums while you’re at it.

(01-12-2023 10:41 PM)Rawdog10 Wrote:  

(01-12-2023 08:44 PM)Big Red Wrote:  

(01-12-2023 08:18 PM)Rawdog10 Wrote:  This is great. I’ve been beating this drum on here for awhile. I’m not naive enough to think there won’t be barriers (we have been patiently waiting for Amtrak in the Quad Cities for 40+ years), but the first step is for the community to want the train. By the video, it looks like they do. Now that there’s the will (including political will), hopefully there will be a way. The federal infrastructure bill should help a lot in creating “a way.” This could really, really help the town and university.

1. I wasn't aware that Amtrak did not go through the QB and
2. I wasn't aware the QC was so eager to get a line

With that said...I had to look up the Amtrak map and I have two thoughts.

First, I hope you aren't holding your breath as I don't see the QB being a stop any time soon. Second, why Galesburg? Is it some ancestor of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad? I'm guessing that has to be the reason as it goes through Burlington, IA just after Galesburg (although Galesburg appears to be the more prominent stop in that area.

But with the next logical city being Omaha and along the way to and from Chicago, nothing else making sense to route a line through QC unless they ran a line from Chicago to Des Moines but they could do that by just rerouting from Galesburg/Burlington.

So yeah...I guess if you really have your heart set on an Amtrak line. 1...I'm sorry and 2...my condolences.

It’s the QC’s white whale. It’s been in the works for years. There is even a brand-new train station and platform for it in downtown Moline…but no train. It would be logistically easy to do but the problem has been gridlock with various governments (including Iowa) and the railroad for decades. The railroads are truly awful businesses.

What is the plan? Re-route the train that goes through Galesburg and Burlington?

Otherwise, what route would it be?

This will never happen. METRA is having trouble now. Their trains are old. Ridership way down. Unless thousands ride train daily from DeKalb, not gonna happen.

I copied a link pertaining to funds that Illinois can receive from the infrastructure bill.
Might be a source of funding. If you take the Elgin METRA line into Chicago, at almost every stop, that community has built high rise condos/apartments near their train station.

https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-...r-illinois

I know what they need...

Monorail
What's it called?
Monorail
That's right! Monorail
Monorail
Monorail
Monorail
I hear those things are awfully loud
It glides as softly as a cloud
Is there a chance the track could bend?
Not on your life, my Hindu friend
What about us brain-dead slobs?
You'll be given cushy jobs
Were you sent here by the Devil?
No, good sir, I'm on the level
The ring came off my pudding can
Take my pen knife, my good man
I swear it's DeKalb's only choice
Throw up your hands and raise your voice
Monorail
What's it called?
Monorail
Once again
Monorail
But Lincoln Highway's still all cracked and broken
Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken
Monorail!
Monorail!
Monorail!
Monorail!
Mono, d'oh!

4 pages (so far) on the possibility of Metra coming to DeKalb.....as well as the train needs of the Quad Cities? I think everybody on this thread is ready for football to start.

(01-13-2023 02:01 PM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote:  I know what they need...

Monorail
What's it called?
Monorail
That's right! Monorail
Monorail
Monorail
Monorail
I hear those things are awfully loud
It glides as softly as a cloud
Is there a chance the track could bend?
Not on your life, my Hindu friend
What about us brain-dead slobs?
You'll be given cushy jobs
Were you sent here by the Devil?
No, good sir, I'm on the level
The ring came off my pudding can
Take my pen knife, my good man
I swear it's DeKalb's only choice
Throw up your hands and raise your voice
Monorail
What's it called?
Monorail
Once again
Monorail
But Lincoln Highway's still all cracked and broken
Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken
Monorail!
Monorail!
Monorail!
Monorail!
Mono, d'oh!

Someone sang that song back home in Hawaii. And now it's 12 miles of track for $12B. Won't even be done til 2035.

(01-13-2023 02:16 AM)klake87 Wrote:  This will never happen. METRA is having trouble now. Their trains are old. Ridership way down. Unless thousands ride train daily from DeKalb, not gonna happen.

METRA will be just fine especially when the Bears move to Arlington and they have a train pulling you up to the stadium

(01-13-2023 11:10 PM)JoeNovak Wrote:  

(01-13-2023 02:16 AM)klake87 Wrote:  This will never happen. METRA is having trouble now. Their trains are old. Ridership way down. Unless thousands ride train daily from DeKalb, not gonna happen.

METRA will be just fine especially when the Bears move to Arlington and they have a train pulling you up to the stadium

There is one line passing by Arlington.

There are 2 lines currently right next to SF, bringing 95% of them a minimum of 15 miles.

The El is about a mile away.

About 15 lines go into the Metra Stations downtown with a shuttle.

While Metra is an option for a few along that line, people aren't going to take the El, Metra Rail or Electric downtown to transfer for a 2-3 hr ride. And pretty sure most of the suburbanites around Arlington will be more than happy to drive than drive and park. I would bargain to say that less people will rake Metra to Arlington, albeit it will be a new crowd. It's not like a Cub game with no parking or the current passes needed for SF.

And I will say Metra has come back slightly in the nearly empty lots I passed for years. Now the are perhaps 1/2 full+

Sorry to be a buzzkill, but IMO this will never happen during the lifetimes of anyone currently active on this site. I have been involved in planning sessions for some suburban rail expansions. Sad to say that most involved a way to secure state or federal transportation grant funding for phase 1 (planning) studies to spread money from local government to wired engineering firms.

The short version of the story goes something like this - engineering firms come knocking at local government transportation department looking for business. Or conversely, the local elected politician asks the local transportation/development department to pass some work to a favored engineering firm. Professional engineering work is not subject to bidding requirements under Illinois law. Government lackeys look to available fed/state grant funds and the work is assigned to the engineering/PR firms. “No tax dollars” involved! The plans are discussed and filed in a cabinet where they wither and die of old age.

The logistics to make this a reality are virtually insurmountable and it is extremely unlikely that the Union Pacific Railroad which owns the lines, will agree to this.

(01-14-2023 12:22 PM)Prince Crossing Wrote:  Sorry to be a buzzkill, but IMO this will never happen during the lifetimes of anyone currently active on this site. I have been involved in planning sessions for some suburban rail expansions. Sad to say that most involved a way to secure state or federal transportation grant funding for phase 1 (planning) studies to spread money from local government to wired engineering firms.

The short version of the story goes something like this - engineering firms come knocking at local government transportation department looking for business. Or conversely, the local elected politician asks the local transportation/development department to pass some work to a favored engineering firm. Professional engineering work is not subject to bidding requirements under Illinois law. Government lackeys look to available fed/state grant funds and the work is assigned to the engineering/PR firms. “No tax dollars” involved! The plans are discussed and filed in a cabinet where they wither and die of old age.

The logistics to make this a reality are virtually insurmountable and it is extremely unlikely that the Union Pacific Railroad which owns the lines, will agree to this.

This makes too much sense.

The price tag is now $25.6B.

(01-14-2023 12:22 PM)Prince Crossing Wrote:  Sorry to be a buzzkill, but IMO this will never happen during the lifetimes of anyone currently active on this site. I have been involved in planning sessions for some suburban rail expansions. Sad to say that most involved a way to secure state or federal transportation grant funding for phase 1 (planning) studies to spread money from local government to wired engineering firms.

The short version of the story goes something like this - engineering firms come knocking at local government transportation department looking for business. Or conversely, the local elected politician asks the local transportation/development department to pass some work to a favored engineering firm. Professional engineering work is not subject to bidding requirements under Illinois law. Government lackeys look to available fed/state grant funds and the work is assigned to the engineering/PR firms. “No tax dollars” involved! The plans are discussed and filed in a cabinet where they wither and die of old age.

The logistics to make this a reality are virtually insurmountable and it is extremely unlikely that the Union Pacific Railroad which owns the lines, will agree to this.

Finally, someone making sense of this crazy thread. I have a better chance of dating Cindy Crawford than a passenger train reaching DeKalb in our lifetime.

(01-14-2023 05:45 PM)NIU75 Wrote:  

(01-14-2023 12:22 PM)Prince Crossing Wrote:  Sorry to be a buzzkill, but IMO this will never happen during the lifetimes of anyone currently active on this site. I have been involved in planning sessions for some suburban rail expansions. Sad to say that most involved a way to secure state or federal transportation grant funding for phase 1 (planning) studies to spread money from local government to wired engineering firms.

The short version of the story goes something like this - engineering firms come knocking at local government transportation department looking for business. Or conversely, the local elected politician asks the local transportation/development department to pass some work to a favored engineering firm. Professional engineering work is not subject to bidding requirements under Illinois law. Government lackeys look to available fed/state grant funds and the work is assigned to the engineering/PR firms. “No tax dollars” involved! The plans are discussed and filed in a cabinet where they wither and die of old age.

The logistics to make this a reality are virtually insurmountable and it is extremely unlikely that the Union Pacific Railroad which owns the lines, will agree to this.

Finally, someone making sense of this crazy thread. I have a better chance of dating Cindy Crawford than a passenger train reaching DeKalb in our lifetime.

One in a million brotha

(01-13-2023 02:16 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  4 pages (so far) on the possibility of Metra coming to DeKalb.....as well as the train needs of the Quad Cities? I think everybody on this thread is ready for football to start.

We are in the dark days of the college football season.

(01-14-2023 08:36 PM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  

(01-14-2023 05:45 PM)NIU75 Wrote:  

(01-14-2023 12:22 PM)Prince Crossing Wrote:  Sorry to be a buzzkill, but IMO this will never happen during the lifetimes of anyone currently active on this site. I have been involved in planning sessions for some suburban rail expansions. Sad to say that most involved a way to secure state or federal transportation grant funding for phase 1 (planning) studies to spread money from local government to wired engineering firms.

The short version of the story goes something like this - engineering firms come knocking at local government transportation department looking for business. Or conversely, the local elected politician asks the local transportation/development department to pass some work to a favored engineering firm. Professional engineering work is not subject to bidding requirements under Illinois law. Government lackeys look to available fed/state grant funds and the work is assigned to the engineering/PR firms. “No tax dollars” involved! The plans are discussed and filed in a cabinet where they wither and die of old age.

The logistics to make this a reality are virtually insurmountable and it is extremely unlikely that the Union Pacific Railroad which owns the lines, will agree to this.

Finally, someone making sense of this crazy thread. I have a better chance of dating Cindy Crawford than a passenger train reaching DeKalb in our lifetime.

One in a million brotha

Not sure if there is an election on the horizon, but this is the talk of one. I live on S. Side and you can see the projects being done, the big signs who did it, followed by the election signs on the lawn.

1,000,000-1 odds on project.
999,998-1 sleeping with Cindy Crawford NIU75?

I came in at 999,999-1

Norther Star update with positive spin...

https://northernstar.info/103682/opinion...o-brainer/

Its just too economically (and practically) infeasible.

(02-22-2023 01:24 PM)GeorgeBorkFan Wrote:  Its just too economically (and practically) infeasible.

A girl can hope, can't she? just glad the city and the students are both firmly behind it. We'll see.