Chicago to Iowa City Amtrak Service
Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 5:21 pm
The Illinois and Iowa DOTs are working on trying to have Amtrak service from Chicago Union Station, to Iowa City, IA. There are 2 routes proposed: taking the BNSF from Chicago to Wyanet, IL to connect to the IAIS line to Iowa City, or (THIS IS WHAT I REALLY WANT!!) taking the Metra line to Joliet, then connecting to the CSX line there and going through Morris (
) and La Salle and then to Wyanet and then to Iowa City. There is a meeting going on route now on the proposed routes. I really think we should choose the Morris route, as we don't have any passenger service through Morris and the BNSF line already sees 8 Amtraks a day! Though it would mean having to upgrade a lot of track and installing CTC and upgrade crossings on the CSX line, but still it would be nice for Morris and La Salle to have passenger trains again, so we can go to Chicago on a train or to the Quad Cities. The official website: http://www.chicagotoiowacity.com/