Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Transportation, alongside Governor JB Pritzker, has announced changes to the schedule for Amtrak's Lincoln Service trains. This comes after the successful implementation of a high-speed rail project between Chicago and St. Louis, allowing passenger trains to reach speeds of 110 mph. These changes will take effect on June 26, reducing travel time by approximately 15 minutes from the current 90 mph runtime and 30 minutes from the initial 79 mph schedule.

"After many years of construction and testing for a nearly $2 billion investment, I couldn't be happier to announce that our transition to 110 mph rail service for the Lincoln Service trains has been completed," said Gov. Pritzker. He emphasized the importance of this development in enhancing reliability and safety while also positioning Illinois as a leader in transportation innovation.

The $1.96 billion project included significant safety upgrades at grade crossings and improvements at several stations along the route. The enhancements include new four-quadrant gates and loop detectors at crossings to prevent vehicle collisions, pedestrian gates, fencing to avoid accidents, and permanent closure of thirty-nine at-risk crossings.

"The railway has always been a vital component of our state's infrastructure," noted U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. "Making high-speed rail, and today's schedule changes to Lincoln Service trains, happen has long been a priority of mine." U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth echoed these sentiments by highlighting the critical role of the Lincoln Service line in Illinois' transportation network.

Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman stated that these upgrades solidify Illinois' status as North America's transportation hub: "We are proud of the work with our partners to deliver this improved service."

The project also involved acquiring new rolling stock for use on Midwest routes, with thirty-three new locomotives already in service since late 2017. Funding was primarily sourced from federal grants through an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant awarded in 2010.

For further details on schedules or ticket purchases, visit amtrak.com/midwest.