Iowa Passanger Rail

bigredmed · Post by **bigredmed** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 11:34 am

Big E wrote:
city11 wrote:I still don't get how it can go 110 mph, but take 7 1/2 hours? This seems weird to me. I know it is stopping in different places but still. I find it sad that a new train system could be built and in 2015-16 still take as long as a car does.
I'd imagine it CAN go 110 MPH, but is restricted as it goes through numerous municipalities? Just guessing. Figure in time for stops, as well.

Track issues, traffic issues are also probably factored into this. Â Also, even though at 110 mph, it could make the run from Omaha to Chicago in about 5-6 hours, the builders don't want to make that commitment. Â Aiming the crowd for 7.5 hours means that if you come in at 7, you are ahead of schedule, instead of just on time.

SabrinaFaire · Post by **SabrinaFaire** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 1:13 pm

We drive back to Chicago 1-2+ times a year. We've flown, but it can get pricey. I'd be all for a high speed rail, or heck a regular speed rail that was cheaper. Even if I had to go to Council Bluffs. I saw quite a few college students driving back for Christmas this past weekend too, I'm sure their parents would much rather them be on trains than driving on icy roads.

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 12:24 pm

Meeting to focus on passenger rail in other states

Two officials who worked with passenger rail projects in other states will speak at a meeting Thursday, Jan. 31, in Council Bluffs.

"Realizing the potential: Passenger rail success stories from Maine and Illinois," will run from 1 to 3 p.m. at Bayliss Park Hall, 530 First Ave.

The presentation will be delivered by Patricia Quinn, executive director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority; and Geoff Fruin, Iowa City assistant city manager. . . .

The presentation is free and sponsored by the Transportation Management Association, Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce, Iowa City Chamber of Commerce, Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, Iowa Public Interest Research Group, Iowa Association of Rail Passengers and Pro-Rail Nebraska and Downtown Community Alliance. . . .

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:52 am

Passenger rail project clears Tier 1 hurdle

The Federal Railroad Administration has chosen a route for a proposed passenger rail system that would link the metro area with Chicago and include stops at several cities in between.

The option would utilize existing tracks owned by Burlington Northern-Santa Fe, Iowa Interstate Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad and Amtrak, according to an FRA Tier 1 Record of Decision released in July. The route, which would take trains through Moline, Ill., Iowa City, Des Moines and Atlantic, was referred to as the “preferred” option during a public meeting in Council Bluffs last December, confirmed Brian Goss of HDR Engineering, who served as a panelist. . . .

The Federal Railroad Administration has decided to pursue Route Alternative 4-A, the "hybrid" route, in the continuing Chicago to Council Bluffs-Omaha Regional Passenger Rail System Planning Study. The project must now go through the Tier 2 Environmental Impact Study before the design and engineering stage can begin.

Post by **Coyote** » Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:56 am

Not that I know anything at all about this, but it just wouldn't make sense if the line didn't go through Des Moines and Iowa City, but shouldn't it also hit Cedar Rapids?

Dundeemaha · Post by **Dundeemaha** » Mon Aug 26, 2013 11:24 am

Most disappointing part of this:

The proposed schedule developed for the SDP for these phases includes the following estimated time frames:
• Chicago to Moline (two round-trips) – construction 2014-2015; service begins Dec. 31, 2015
• Chicago to Iowa City (two round-trips) – construction 2015-2016; service begins 2017
• Chicago to Des Moines (two round-trips) – construction 2020-2021; service begins 2022
• Chicago to Des Moines (four round-trips) – equipment procurement 2024; service begins 2025
• Chicago to Council Bluffs (four round-trips) – construction 2028-2029; service begins 2030

After additional service development planning is completed, the service would be extended to Omaha; currently estimated to commence in 2040. Ultimately, the speed and the frequency of round-trips would increase with subsequent implementation phases up to a maximum of 110 mph

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Mon Aug 26, 2013 12:12 pm

Dundeemaha wrote:Most disappointing part of this:

The proposed schedule developed for the SDP for these phases includes the following estimated time frames:
• Chicago to Moline (two round-trips) – construction 2014-2015; service begins Dec. 31, 2015
• Chicago to Iowa City (two round-trips) – construction 2015-2016; service begins 2017
• Chicago to Des Moines (two round-trips) – construction 2020-2021; service begins 2022
• Chicago to Des Moines (four round-trips) – equipment procurement 2024; service begins 2025
• Chicago to Council Bluffs (four round-trips) – construction 2028-2029; service begins 2030

After additional service development planning is completed, the service would be extended to Omaha; currently estimated to commence in 2040. Ultimately, the speed and the frequency of round-trips would increase with subsequent implementation phases up to a maximum of 110 mph

Until NE DOR steps up to the plate, I would expect that date to move back, rather than forward.

Post by **Coyote** » Mon Oct 21, 2013 3:55 pm

Branstad: Passenger rail line still a possibility

Quad City Times wrote:Gov. Terry Branstad said he’s not giving up on a proposed passenger rail line from Chicago to Iowa City until he sees a final report on the project from the Iowa Department of Transportation. But the governor also said he was skeptical that such a line was a “feasible” investment for the state.

A two-year $11 million appropriation to help pay for the service was stripped from this year’s budget in the Iowa House of Representatives after having been inserted in the state’s budget by the Senate. Republicans hold the majority in the House, and Democrats control the Senate.

Post by **Coyote** » Mon Oct 21, 2013 4:04 pm

Branstad cites “skepticism” about Iowa City passenger train, but awaits DOT study on its fate

Des Moines Register wrote:Gov. Terry Branstad said Monday he’ll await a recommendation from the Iowa Department of Transportation before deciding whether to return $53 million in federal money awarded by President Barack Obama’s administration to establish passenger train service to Iowa City. A decision to return the money would spell the death of long-sought passenger rail service linking Iowa City to Chicago.

State Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines, who chairs the Iowa Senate’s transportation budget subcommittee, said last week it’s obvious plans for an Iowa City passenger train are dead because of the refusal of House Republicans the past three legislative sessions to provide matching state money to secure the federal grant. The federal money was awarded to Iowa while Democrat Chet Culver, a support of passenger rail service, was governor.

Iowa House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, said House Republicans view plans for a passenger train to Iowa City as based on a bad business model that would require perpetual taxpayer subsidies.

guitarguy · Post by **guitarguy** » Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:03 pm

I feel like with the nature of the way these rail lines get funding that there will be a fairly long wait for anything new to happen due to costs..

Seth · Post by **Seth** » Thu Oct 31, 2013 1:45 pm

I'm not very optimistic about this being completed anytime soon, but I would still love to see it happen. Â The endpoints wouldn't be any different than what we use on the current Amtrak California Zephyr route, but it would be a lot faster to get back to Illinois. Â How the current line skips the major metros and college towns of Des Moines and Iowa City beats me. Â But then again, it's not that strange when compared to the general terribleness of US passenger rail as a whole.