Chuck Sweeny: Don't hide behind Amtrak's skirts GOP - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

• Despite what Rep. John Cabello said Wednesday about the future of passenger trains coming to Rockford — that Amtrak told him no at a House Transportation Committee meeting — this is not Amtrak's call. Anyone who went to the Feb. 25 hearing of the Senate Transportation Committee in Rockford knows that.

  And the facts have not changed. This is a matter that legislators, including Cabello, R-Machesney Park, must decide. The ball is in Cabello's court, not Amtrak's.

  As Marc Magliari, Amtrak's Midwest spokesman, told me late Wednesday night to set the record straight:

  "The incoming governor has halted several projects pending further review. This is not a new fact. As we testified in Rockford on Feb. 25 and in Springfield this afternoon, the budget proposed by the governor does not contain sufficient funds for the current service levels elsewhere in the state. The state will decide how much service it will contract with Amtrak to provide. The decision about this route to Rockford rests with the state of Illinois, not Amtrak. That is what we have always said."

  This project is in two phases. First, before any passenger service can be considered, the Union Pacific's track and bridges across the Fox and Rock rivers must be improved and a connecting track built near Elgin to connect the Rockford track with Metra's line. That will cost north of $200 million. That's an Illinois Department of Transportation responsibility that has absolutely nothing to do with Amtrak. It would also enable the UP to add freight customers in Rockford, something the railroad is interested in doing.

  The second phase would be operating the train. That, too, is the state's responsibility. Illinois operates passenger trains on three lines: Chicago to Quincy, Chicago to Carbondale, Chicago to Springfield and St. Louis.

  Gov. Bruce Rauner's proposed budget would cut the $41 million state subsidy for those trains to $26 million, meaning the number of trains will have to be reduced. There's no money for new services, needless to say.

  Again, that depends on the budget that legislators actually approve. At this point, Rauner's budget amounts to a series of suggestions. None of it has been passed by the Legislature.

  I talked to Mayor Larry Morrissey on Friday morning, and he emphasized that what's important is for our legislative team to agitate together for continuation of the track and bridge upgrades — 15 to 20 percent of the engineering has been done — so that we will eventually have good track to connect Rockford, Belvidere and Huntley to Elgin. Oh, and despite a rumor going around, the trip to downtown Chicago will take no more than two hours, not three. The eventual goal is to have fast, frequent commuter trains operating between Chicago and Rockford, bypassing the multiple stops between Chicago and Elgin.

  Page 2 of 2 - This project was part of then-Gov. Pat Quinn's re-election campaign. When Quinn came to Rockford to announce it last April, Republican legislators were caught off guard. I am not convinced that they really supported it, but no one has said so to this point.

  However, this isn't really just a partisan project. Locally, we've been developing plans for rail service since the 1990s, and it was started by leaders in Boone County. Last time I checked, they were Republicans.

  If Republican legislators from the area do not support the train project they need to come out and say so. Have a joint press conference and tell us why this is a bad idea that needs to be scrapped.

  It's a valid position. I don't agree with it, but hey, that's politics. I respect people who are honest with me about their beliefs and positions on issues. I'm sure you do, too.

  Amtrak will run trains if they're compensated for the service. Trains that run 750 miles or less are the responsibility of the states.

  I remind you that all passenger transportation, as well as road and water-borne freight, is heavily subsidized by government, which owns the roads, airports, and locks and dams. Taxes and fees maintain these assets. None dare call it socialism, but that's what it is and always has been. Only the nation's freight railroads build, own and maintain their rights of way. They pay taxes on it, too.

  So, how about it, Republicans. Take responsibility. Show your cards. Tell us where you really stand. Because this project's future depends on YOU, not Amtrak. Are we clear?

  Chuck Sweeny: 815-987-1366; csweeny@rrstar.com; @chucksweeny

• By Chuck Sweeny
  Rockford Register Star

Chuck Sweeny: Don't hide behind Amtrak's skirts GOP - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Belvidere Daily Republican: Belvidere AGREEMENT for train station

 

BELVIDERE - An intergovernmental agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation to build a new passenger railroad station near downtown has been referred to city council for action.
Aldermen, sitting as a committee of the whole, approved that step Monday night (Dec. 8) in a 9-0 vote.
This is a $2.643-million project that will be paid for entirely by IDOT, according to the agreement. The only possible city exposure would be cost overages, and any design, environmental and construction activities not included in the breakdown of costs.
Once the agreement has been approved design of the station will be done. Construction of the platform and at least a shell of the depot must be done by October 2015.
Public Works Superintendent Brent Anderson told the committee the city will pay for the work up-front, and be reimbursed by the state. City Attorney Michael Drella assured officials that "if they (state) stop paying, we stop work."
"Our exposure will be somewhat limited," Anderson said.
The project also includes a 150-space parking lot that will utilize the existing lot across Whitney Boulevard from city hall. The location of the depot has been moved slightly so it doesn't encroach on the Boone County Historical Museum property.
Here is a breakdown of the overall cost:
Preliminary engineering, $30,000; environmental, $10,000; final design, $100,000; construction project management, $60,000; parking lot, $200,000; platform, about 500 feet long, $419,375; and the depot, $1.454 million. The contingency fund, for unexpected expenditures, will be $369,655.
Alderman Ron Brooks said he saw in the agreement that IDOT could pull out of the project if the work isn't funded.
"Yes, that's typical," Anderson replied.
Belvidere will be a stop on the new train service that will link Rockford with the city of Chicago.
SURVEY FINDS VIOLATIONS
Also Monday the committee was informed by Anderson that the Environmental Protection Agency had conducted a field survey of the city's water system. The survey was conducted Nov. 19, with two violations of state standards being found.
One of them was the need to conduct a cross-connection survey of the 7,770 customers of the water system. The purpose of the study is to "identify improper plumbing arrangements that may allow contamination of the water supply through backflow or back siphonage conditions, and to require those improper plumbing arrangements to be eliminated."
Such a survey should be conducted every two years, he said, with Belvidere last doing one about four years ago.
The other violation was having a "significantly outdated" emergency management plan. That plan is to include the following items:
1. Identification of potential natural and human-caused risks to the water system.
2. Identification of personnel responsible for response actions, notification procedures and public/press relations should such an emergency occur.
3. Measures for averting or avoiding emergencies and the means for implementing the emergency response plan. An emergency management plan must be prepared and kept updated.

(5) Belvidere Daily Republican

Belvidere Amtrak station plans near completion

In answer to some questions at the Boone County Fair this article is being posted.   The highlighted areas are for specific questions asked.

 

By Ben Stanley
Rockford Register Star
Posted Jul. 3, 2014 @ 4:00 pm

BELVIDERE — Construction of a Belvidere Amtrak station could begin before the end of 2014.

“I’m hoping to get started this year, but there are still a lot of steps to go through,” Belvidere Mayor Mike Chamberlain said.

The city will meet with engineers in the next two or three weeks to review technical aspects of the station’s design.

Stephen Ernst, executive director of the Rockford Metropolitan Agency for Planning, said that Boone County and Belvidere are “well along the way” toward finalizing construction plans.

The station and transit center would be built along existing train tracks north of City Hall between Main and State streets, according to a multi-phase downtown development proposal from 2005 posted on the City of Belvidere’s website.

Chamberlain said that the station could be completed toward the end of 2015.

According to the 2005 plan, once the station is complete, an initial phase of government, residential, commercial, retail and mixed-use development would be implemented over the next five years and would expand City Hall and the Boone County Historical Museum to create a “civic campus” around the station.

Chamberlain said the Amtrak station is the first step in connecting Belvidere to Chicago and Rockford through a commuter rail that he hopes will drive downtown development.

Ernst said that the line will begin transporting passengers in 2015 on a single train with plans to add a second train in 2016.

In four or five years, Chamberlain hopes enough trains will be added to allow residents to live in Belvidere and commute to work in Chicago or Rockford, or vice versa.

Chamberlain also said a plan is being discussed to develop a shuttle system with busses that would take Rockford commuters who don’t want to use a proposed west Rockford train station to the Belvidere one.

“I think they’ll come here instead of going to the west side of Rockford,” Chamberlain said.

Read more: http://www.rrstar.com/article/20140703/News/140709753#ixzz3AJKVazDC

Gov. Pat Quinn in Rockford Thursday to make major Amtrak announcement | The Rock River Times

 

According to sources, Quinn’s announcement will be about more than just rail subsidies. Officials have reportedly scrapped a plan to make Rockford a stop on a southern Canadian National route, as initially pushed by city leaders. Instead, Rockford and Belvidere will be stops along a northern route from Chicago to Dubuque, Iowa on tracks owned by Union Pacific.

The new Amtrak station will be built at 815 S. Main St., downtown.

The new route will send the train through centrally located McHenry County creating what officials hope to be steady influx of downtown activity. Amtrak is expected to be a key component in both the Amerock and Ingersoll redevelopment projects.

Monday, April 7, the City Council approved the plan to turn the Amerock building into a 150-room hotel and convention center. The proposal to transform the nearby Ingersoll building into a 104,000-square-foot sports complex is still pending. The matter will reportedly be up for a city council vote in coming weeks.

In 2012, Rockford received $5 million in state and federal funds toward the Amtrak project. The total cost was estimated at around $60 million.

The amount of additional subsidies has not been released. Funds are part of Quinn’s six-year, $8.6 billion construction plan aimed to improve roads and bridges and establish passenger rail service between Chicago and Moline, Ill.

The new Amtrak station will be at 815 S. Main St., where the old Black Hawk line provided passenger service from 1974-81. The depot then sat vacant until it was demolished in 2011.

Read the entire story by clicking on the following:  Gov. Pat Quinn in Rockford Thursday to make major Amtrak announcement | The Rock River Times

State says no to I-90 Rockford to Chicago high speed rail study - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

By Brian Leaf

a letter to Northwest Illinois Mayors for Passenger Rail, Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Ann Schneider and tollway chief Kristi Lafleur said the ridership potential “simply cannot justify the expense of constructing such a line and thus, a full-blown study also is not warranted at this time.”

Click on the following for the complete story:  State says no to I-90 Rockford to Chicago high speed rail study - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Amtrak Black Hawk: Website showing milestones onto actual operations

Click on the following to see the latest milestone:  Amtrak Black Hawk

The Rejected Windfall by Florida - NYTimes.com

 

Gov. Rick Scott of Florida thoughtlessly rejected $2.4 billion in federal aid for a high-speed rail line, he claimed last month that he was doing a huge favor for the national Treasury, which he expected would give away the money in tax cuts. That was nonsense, of course; Mr. Scott was really doing a favor for train passengers in the Northeast, Midwest and California, which were given $2 billion of his money on Monday for better service.

Republican governors so rigidly opposed to the Obama administration that they are willing to harm their states to score points. The result is a crazy quilt of state relationships with Washington, stitched more with ideology than reason.

Instead… a sliver of the Acela line and the Empire line through upstate New York. The Chicago-St. Louis corridor will be improved, and $300 million will be invested in the high-speed project between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Texas is accepting $15 million to start work on a fast line between Dallas and Houston.

Read the rest of this opinion piece by clicking on the following:    The Rejected Windfall by Florida - NYTimes.com

Could Amtrak ever be ready for takeoff at O'Hare? - chicagotribune.com

 

Gov. Pat Quinn has asked Amtrak CEO Joseph Boardman to conduct a study examining what it would take, logistically and financially, to commence fast, nonstop passenger rail service between Chicago Union Station and O'Hare, your Getting Around reporter has learned.

Click on the following for more details:  Could Amtrak ever be ready for takeoff at O'Hare? - chicagotribune.com

China Rail Chief’s Firing Hints at Deeper Problems - NYTimes.com

His abrupt sacking by the Communist Party is casting that empire in a decidedly different light, raising doubts not only about Mr. Liu’s stewardship and the corruption that dogs China’s vast public-works projects, but also, perhaps, the safety, financial soundness and long-term viability of a rail system that has captured the world’s attention.

8,100 miles of high-speed rail lines and to build more than 11,000 miles of traditional railroad lines. The sheer size and cost of the endeavor — the investment has been estimated at $750 billion, some $395 billion for high-speed rail alone

new railways chief, Sheng Guangzu, said the ministry would “place quality and safety at the center of construction projects.”

Click on the following for more details:  China Rail Chief’s Firing Hints at Deeper Problems - NYTimes.com

Chicago-Rockford-Dubuque Line Marks Return of Passenger Rail to Rockford.

No Belvidere.

Trains will run at least one round-trip daily between Chicago’s Union Station and Dubuque, with stops in Elgin, Genoa, Rockford and Galena.

selection of routes was based on an independent study by the Decatur office of URS Corp., one of the country’s top engineering design firms. The analysis showed that the southern route through Genoa will require a $26.2 million investment in upgraded infrastructure between Chicago and Rockford. Similar improvements on the proposed northern route through Belvidere would cost $62.3 million, raising the total cost of the route to more than $96 million. The study also determined an estimated annual ridership of 76,357 on the southern route compared to 54,988 on the northern route.

. The full report can be viewed at www.dot.il.gov/DPIT/Chicago-Rockford%20Route%20Analysis%20Report%20FINAL%20101208.pdf

Click on the following for the full story:  Chicago-Rockford-Dubuque Line Marks Return of Passenger Rail to Rockford.

Is High-Speed Rail Travel in America's Future?

 

two out of three Americans (62%) would "definitely or probably  use high-speed rail for leisure or business travel if a system was built. Another 27% said they weren't sure while only 11% said they "probably or definitely would not†use it….

service is expected to save one-third of the energy per passenger of airplanes and one-fifth the energy per passenger of automobiles

So it all comes back to you dear reader. Do you want to create hundreds of thousands of jobs, travel relatively inexpensively between cities 500 to 800 miles away or continue to fight the clogged roadways? You could also choose between passing nakedly through scanners or being groped by strangers instead of getting on a train that could have you at your destination in about the same time you'll wait to board your plane.

Click on the following for more details:  Is High-Speed Rail Travel in America's Future?

Huntley Petitions Pile Up For Amtrak Station

Remember:  If the train goes thru Huntley it cannot stop at Geneo, only a Belvidere/Rockford stops would be in the works.

The following is taken from the Blog—First Electric Newspaper   http://www.firstelectricnewspaper.com/2010/10/huntley-petitions-pile-up-for-amtrak.html 

 

More than 2,300 petitions asking for an Amtrak station in Huntley had collected on Village Clerk Rita McMahon's desk by mid-afternoon Friday with more still to be added to the pile.
"We'll FedEx them to Governor Quinn's office Monday morning," said McMahon.

Read more of this article by clicking on this link:  FirstElectricNewspaper

Officials gather to celebrate Quad Cities rail money

 

The $230 million grant was announced Monday by U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Tom Harkin, D-Iowa. That was in addition to $10 million awarded by the Department of Transportation last week for the construction of an intermodal station in downtown Moline. An intermodal center combines rail service with other transportation options, such as buses, taxis, rental cars, water taxi and even bicycles.

Although not high-speed, the route from Chicago to Iowa City through the Quad-Cities is expected to be completed to Moline by 2013 and Iowa City by 2015.

commitments of $45 million from Illinois and $20 million from Iowa.

 

Click on the following for more details:  Officials gather to celebrate rail money - Quad Cities Online

Construction to begin for high-speed rail leg

breaking ground Friday in Alton for the portion of the line between the Mississippi River city and Springfield, then to near Lincoln.

That $98 million effort is a part of the $1.1 billion the Obama Administration awarded in January to improve passenger rail service between Chicago and St. Louis.

The improvements are expected to allow trains to operate at up to 110 mph. That's up from 79 mph currently.

Click on the following for more details:  Daily Herald | Construction to begin for high-speed rail leg

Sweeny Report » Attention Amtrak passengers: Your train has been delayed, maybe forever

I confirmed Friday that IDOT is doing a new study as a follow-up to its 2007 study, which favored the Canadian National route through Genoa as quicker and cheaper than the Union Pacific line through Belvidere.

Brereton said…the new IDOT study “will either reaffirm the governor’s position about the northern route or contradict it and take it south. I’ve been led to believe the study won‘t be done until December, so we‘re losing valuable time.”

“Everybody’s fear is that IDOT could use our lack of consensus as an excuse not to fund the service,” Pritchard said.

Click on the following for more details:  Sweeny Report » Attention Amtrak passengers: Your train has been delayed, maybe forever

Genoa Chamber to hold forum on Chicago-Dubuque Amtrak route

 

Illinois Department of Transportation chose the Canadian National line, which runs through Genoa, in its application to the federal government for stimulus funds.

 
The project was not picked for federal funding, so Gov. Pat Quinn appropriated $60 million from the state’s capital budget for it. In late March, Quinn announced the route would go through Belvidere on a Union Pacific route. A few days later, IDOT officials confirmed to the Daily Chronicle that the Chicago-to-Dubuque service would stop in Belvidere – noting that the route was decided by Quinn and not transportation officials.

Genoa Chamber Executive Director Bonnie Hanson said that a final decision has yet to be made.
“According to the last time we spoke to Amtrak, which was last week, no contracts had been signed, no construction had begun,” Hanson said Monday.
State Sen. Brad Burzynski, R-Rochelle, said the money for the project hasn’t been released by the state, which is why contracts haven’t been signed

Click on the following for more details:  Genoa Chamber to hold forum on Chicago-Dubuque Amtrak route | Daily Chronicle

Start Of High-Speed Rail Track Upgrade Planned

 

$98 million project is a part of $1.1 billion awarded in January by the Obama Administration to improve passenger rail service between Chicago and St. Louis. The improvements are expected to allow trains to operate at up to 110 mph. At that speed, up from 79 mph currently, travel time between the cities would be cut by about 90 minutes, to under four hours.

Click on the following for more details:  Start Of High-Speed Rail Track Upgrade Planned - cbs2chicago.com

Metra probes, puts head Phil Pagano on leave | Greg Hinz | Crain's Chicago Business

Boone/Winnebago County officials want Metra trains.  Everyone should take a look with what comes with the train.

Executive Director Phil Pagano may have gotten an unauthorized $56,000 bonus late last summer….   Mr. Pagano, who is paid $269,625 a year in regular salary, has held Metra's highest staff job for two decades

  "Metra does not pay bonuses. Metra pays (only) annual salaries. We are looking into the matter you asked about," she said. "We are thoroughly investigating the matter."

Mr. Pagano "is currently not conducting any Metra business." That is "at the request" of Metra board Chairwoman Carole Doris, the spokeswoman said.

Metra was hit with a huge scandal four years ago, when former director Don Udstuen pleaded guilty to shaking down Metra contractors for kickbacks. He received an 8-month prison term after cooperating in the government's prosecution of former Gov. George Ryan.

Click on the following for more details:  Metra probes, puts head Phil Pagano on leave | Greg Hinz | Crain's Chicago Business

Governor derails Genoa's dreams for Amtrak

The train will depend upon state.

while Quinn reportedly had said it was IDOT officials who had decided on the change, Kollias said that "the governor made the decision, and we support the governor's decision."

Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said Wednesday that because the state will be paying the bills for track upgrades and a yearly operating subsidy, Amtrak will run the train on whatever route the state wants. He said it also will be up to state officials to figure out how soon the construction can begin.

a new connecting track would have to be built in Elgin between the Metra line and the Union Pacific line. The Union Pacific line also would need to add electric stop-go signals, sidings to enable oncoming trains to pass each other, new track in some areas and some new stations. But if all those items were installed to handle the Amtrak service now, they would already be in existence when and if Boone and Winnebago County join the Regional Transportation Authority and Metra decides to start Rockford commuter service.

Click on the following for the next seven days for the rest of the story:  Governor derails Genoa's dreams for Amtrak :: The Courier News :: Local News

Few answers available regarding Amtrak decision | Daily Chronicle

Little is known about how the decision was made to run Amtrak passenger rail through Belvidere instead of Genoa….

On Friday, IDOT spokeswoman Marisa Kollias confirmed that the Chicago-to-Dubuque service would stop in Belvidere on the Union Pacific route, and earlier this week confirmed the route was decided by Quinn and not transportation officials.

Messages left Friday and Tuesday with Quinn's office seeking more information have not been returned. Kollias said that the governor's office would likely circulate calls back to IDOT, but that she had "very, very little" information about the decision.
Genoa officials say they're also being left in the dark.

Click on the following for more details:

Few answers available regarding Amtrak decision | Daily Chronicle