Amtrak black hawk from 70s planned to be back up in 2015

[VLW]

http://www.rrstar.com/article/20120518/Blogs/305189917

http://rockrivertimes.com/2014/04/11/rail-coming-back-to-rockford/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbpJ_yJTUuw

Is this awesome!?

[MCDemuth]

Nice to see things like this make a comeback.

Found the part about them building a new station, in the same place were the old one was torn down a couple of years ago, because it sat abandoned for a couple of decades, quite interesting. It's probably just as well that they're building a new one, but it is a shame that, in the grand scheme of things, the old one wasn't still around to renovate.

At least the trackage is still there for this project, and still being used too. Here in Indiana they kept talking about wanting commuter rail. Too many abandoned lines are now gone, as well as the old interurban lines. Not sure where they plan to run any of these trains, as the city really can't support it anymore with where all the existing roadways and residential areas are now, since the tracks were taken out, that is if anyone will ever use it. (There are reasons why the interurbans ceased operations...)

I like the intentions they have of expanding their trains & routes as far as they will go. Such as in to Omaha, Nebraska.

Reusing a classic & catchy name is nice too...

[VLW]

Illinois DOT said they will build the train's personal fleet. Picture for fleet currently N/A at the moment.

[eric]

First of all, it's not the old Blackhawk's routing... That version ran on the Illinois Central out to Dubuque. The new owner, Canadian National, seems to do anything possible to keep Amtrak off its rails (which is part of why there isn't service to Green Bay). If they could eliminate the City of New Orleans and the state subsidised service to Michigan and downstate Illinois, they probably would.

This version of the Blackhawk will terminate in Rockford, and will run along the MILW (now Metra) out to Elgin, and they're building a connector over to the CNW (now UP). It's a good first step at adding intercity rail in Northern Illinois, and also may lead to expanded Metra service into the largest town in southern McHenry County (Huntley).

There's lots to be done before this happens, though. For starters, it's political. Gov. Quinn is up for re-election in November, and it's not clear if a challenger would sign on to complete the funding. The state is currently $154B in debt, and running an annual $22B deficit...

Most importantly, the line isn't signalled along the UP (the entire Belvidere Branch is track warrant territory). It will also require PTC. UP won't pay for that. IDOT will need to step forward with those funds.

There are also dozen or so crossings which will need to have grade crossings updated to include gates, and another half dozen or so which will need to have automated protection added. Again, IDOT will have to pay that -- CNW built the line so long ago that the roads are traversing the UP ROW, thus IDOT bears the cost of the improvements...

Two of those directly impact the IRM, as both Seaman and Olson Road are unsignaled crossings today, and automating the UP means that the IRM's track will also have to be tied into the crossing gates. Hopefully, UP will maintain both sets of crossings on IRYM's behalf.

Fortunately, the Belvedere Branch is in otherwise good shape. Track speeds of 55mph aren't going to be a problem as it is today, and UP & IDOT just upgraded the busiest crossing on the line at Huntley & IL-47 about three years ago.

[VLW]

eric do you also know what fleet Illinois DOT can create for the train? My theories are another set of talgos, California fleet(not really from California), order foreign passenger equipment(RENFE,SNCF,SSB,DB, etc.) or something like that. I'm thinking the talgos because you told me on another thread that they are looking for a new place to manufacture more passenger cars.

[eric]

It won't be the Talgos. Those will wind up in Oregon eventually, and as I said on that thread, you'll never see them in the Midwest.

Since IDOT is part of the multistate RFP for bilevels, long term, that's what they'll use.

Short term, they could probably get away with leasing gallery coaches from Metra, and maybe a business class car from Amtrak.