Peoria Station

A lot of the news out of Springfield regarding the high-speed rail and increased freight train frequency controversy is starting to sound like a broken record. Those few commenters [to the on-line stories] who make any sense are unable to penetrate the collossal ignorance and extreme selfishness of the majority.
What bothers me is this article in today’s State [...]

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I haven’t blogged about Springfield’s anti-rail hysteria for several days, but a lot has been going on. Just read the www.sj-r.com and its Boiler Room blog. Most significant is that Mayor Tim Davlin seems to have softened his position a bit, probably the result of last Friday’s meeting with other politicans and railroad officials.
Unfortunately, commenters to these online [...]

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Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig, U. S. Senator Dick Durbin, Mayor Tim Davlin, Sangamon County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter and railroad officials met Friday to discuss recent rail-related controversies, and there appears to have been an agreement, the State Journal-Register reports:
The state of Illinois will apply for federal funding for a high-speed rail corridor [...]

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It had to happen sooner or later. Today’s State Journal-Register reports today:
The Springfield branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People says putting high-speed trains on the 10th Street corridor instead of Third Street is a “travesty of justice” that would lower property values and further divide a city already torn by [...]

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The State Journal-Register clearly sees the Union Pacific Railroad as the enemy. An article about yesterday’s meeting between Springfield Mayor Tim Davlin and Union Pacific is entitled, ”City, UP duel over what railroad knew, when it knew it.“
The article dwells on whether Union Pacific knew about the City’s hopes to consolidate rail freight and passenger traffic [...]

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Late last month, a Union Pacific Railroad vice-president sent a letter to Senator Dick Durbin in regards to the ongoing high-speed rail/increased freight traffic controversy in Springfield. According to today’s State Journal-Register, John Rebensdorf’s letter contained the following points:
(1) City officials’ public fight against using the so-called 3rd Street Corridor could prevent high speed train [...]

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The latest on Springfield’s Increased Freight Train Frequency/High-Speed Rail controversy is getting to be downright silly. Today’s Journal State-Register contains this gem from Chatham’s Fire Chief:
“High-speed rail would somewhat increase our response time,” Fire Chief Philip Schumer said. A train blocking the Walnut Street crossing would send units to the Plummer Boulevard underpass, he said.
Let me [...]

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Bloomington-Normal is generally regarded as an economic rival to Peoria, and possesses superior service from the nation’s interstate highway system. Although it has excellent rail passenger service, Bloomington-Normal falls far behind in rail freight service, and has no commercial water transportation. The area is no less interesting, however, and below are thumbnails illustrating its freight and passenger service.

AMTRAK [...]

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Per State Journal-Register:
There are alternatives to overpasses and street closings for high-speed rail and additional freight traffic in Springfield but not to putting that traffic on the Third Street corridor, Illinois Secretary of Transportation Gary Hannig said Friday.
“This is the only alternative (Third Street) that’s going to work. The other alternative is walking away,” Hannig [...]

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Per today’s State Journal-Register:
Springfield aldermen and Mayor Tim Davlin Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution opposing plans for high-speed rail and additional freight traffic along Third Street.
The city is prepared to fight the idea in court and is urging the Union Pacific Railroad to look again at the 10th Street corridor as a better route for [...]

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