Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The overall purpose of the Program is to enhance the passenger transportation network within the Chicago to St. Louis corridor, resulting in a more balanced use of the modal components. The Illinois High-Speed Rail Program improvements have been made within the State of Illinois, between Chicago and St. Louis, on the Union Pacific’s Joliet and Springfield Subdivisions. The work began in September 2010 with upgrades to all main tracks. The infrastructure work is now substantially complete, new locomotives have been delivered, and higher speed service of up to 90 miles per hour (mph) is anticipated to begin in the first half of 2021 after testing and commissioning is complete. Development activities are underway that will support operations at up to 110 mph.

The Illinois High-Speed Rail Program was one of the first major construction projects of the Federal Railroad Administration’s High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail program. Highlights of the program include the provision of full quadrant gates at all public grade crossings, testing of crossing treatments using a new cab signal installation to support demonstration 110 mph service during testing in 2012, safety improvements at nearly all grade crossings in the corridor, extensive fencing for pedestrian safety, and development of a wide range of policies and procedures that meet or exceed Federal Railroad Administration, Union Pacific, and Illinois Department of Transportation requirements.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) are acting as joint lead agencies on this Program.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) defines high-speed trains as those operating at speeds over 90 miles per hour. The Chicago to St. Louis high-speed passenger trains will operate at a maximum speed of 110 miles per hour, where safe and practical.

On April 16, 2009, President Obama announced a new vision for developing high-speed passenger rail in America. The vision called for a collaborative effort among the federal government, states, railroads, and other key stakeholders to help transform America's transportation system through the creation of a national network of high-speed rail corridors. To achieve this vision, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) launched the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Program in June 2009, as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). On January 28, 2010, Illinois was selected for a $1.2 billion federal award to bring high-speed passenger rail service to Illinois by 2015-2017. In addition, the Illinois Capital bill has appropriated $400 million for high-speed rail.

Illinois also was selected for federal funds through the Federal Railroad Administration HSIPR Grant under the ARRA. Illinois received $1.1 billion for corridor improvements between Dwight and the St. Louis area. In December 2010, an additional $42.3 million was received for construction upgrades between Dwight and St. Louis. In January 2012, $186.3 million was received for corridor improvements between Joliet and Dwight. The overall package of improvements included matching funds from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), local municipalities, and the Union Pacific Railroad.

• Illinois (along with other Midwest states) had a vision for high-speed rail beginning in the 1990’s, and in 2003, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) developed an environmental clearance document referred to as an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The result of the EIS was a federally approved project that then was eligible for federal funding; and the result was documented in a Record of Decision (ROD).
• The Chicago to St. Louis Corridor ROD was approved in 2004 and allowed IDOT to be well-positioned for federal funds. The ROD approved upgrades to the existing Chicago to St. Louis corridor, but only allowed improvements to the existing line from Dwight to the St. Louis area.
• Continuing with IDOT’s commitment to build a world-class high-speed rail corridor, the Department completed a second EIS (the Tier 1 EIS) to study a full build-out (adding a second track and other improvements) of the corridor and to decide on a route between Chicago to Joliet, Alton to East St. Louis, and in the Springfield corridor.
• The Tier 1 EIS was completed in October 2012, and the Record of Decision was issued in December 2012.
• A 15-mile demonstration run was conducted between Dwight and Pontiac, operating at speeds up to 110 miles per hour on October 19, 2012.
• The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is working with Union Pacific Railroad and Amtrak as they install and test Positive Train Control (PTC) and enhanced grade crossing warning system along the corridor. PTC is a safety system that communicates conditions at the crossings to the approaching trains, which could allow the train engineer to react and reduce speeds in the event a warning system has malfunctioned or if a vehicle is detected on the tracks. Before trains can operate at speeds greater than 79 miles per hour (mph), the PTC system at grade crossing locations and within the train must be tested for efficiency and compliance with Federal regulations. Once PTC testing is complete and approved, trains will begin operating at speeds of up to 90 mph. This initial increase in speeds is anticipated to begin in 2020. The overall Project encompasses improvements designed to accommodate the operation of higher speed passenger trains, up to 110 mph.

Construction on the corridor is nearly complete. For efforts in 2020, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is working with Union Pacific Railroad and Amtrak as they install and test Positive Train Control (PTC) and enhanced grade crossing warning system along the corridor. PTC is a safety system that communicates conditions at the crossings to the approaching trains, which could allow the train engineer to react and reduce speeds in the event a warning system has malfunctioned or if a vehicle is detected on the tracks. Before trains can operate at speeds greater than 79 miles per hour (mph), the PTC system at grade crossing locations and within the train must be tested for efficiency and compliance with Federal regulations. Once PTC testing is complete and approved, trains will begin operating at speeds of up to 90 mph. This initial increase in speeds is anticipated to begin in 2020. The overall Project encompasses improvements designed to accommodate the operation of higher speed passenger trains, up to 110 mph.

• Improvements designed to accommodate the operation of higher speed passenger trains, up to 110 miles per hour (mph) Installation of new premium rail, concrete ties, and stone ballast and upgrades to and replacement of railroad bridges to Improved track conditions, which contributes to on-time performance of existing passenger service and enhanced connectivity and safety between Chicago and St. Louis Safety improvements at grade crossings with the installation of four (4) quadrant gates, enhanced railroad signals, refurbished roadway approached, and pedestrian safety fencing.

Yes. Amtrak will announce temporary service changes and substitute express bus services that will replace train service during construction, as well as provide reports via Amtrak’s website (www.amtrak.com). Passenger Service Notices will be posted at stations and will be displayed as part of the booking process on www.amtrak.com.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is taking an incremental approach to implementing high-speed rail in the state, similar to how many European countries have implemented high-speed rail service. The 110 miles per hour service on the corridor has the necessary environmental documents, and construction began on September 1, 2010. The public got its first glimpse of higher speed passenger service between Dwight and Pontiac on October 19, 2012.

IDOT embraces the idea that a network of different but connecting rail services operating at up to both 110 miles per hour and 220 miles per hour may best serve the state’s travel and economic development needs. IDOT recently submitted a grant application to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for an Alternative Analysis and environmental studies for 220 miles per hour service. However, the application was not selected for funding. Trains operating at 220 miles per hour will be subject to a higher level of safety standards, which require grade separations for any rail/highway crossings, dedicated right-of-way, and fencing. The development of such a system will take a considerable length of time. Illinois is currently funding a study of 220 MPH service from Chicago to Champaign.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is working with Union Pacific Railroad and Amtrak as they install and test Positive Train Control (PTC) and enhanced grade crossing warning system along the corridor. PTC is a safety system that communicates conditions at the crossings to the approaching trains, which could allow the train engineer to react and reduce speeds in the event a warning system has malfunctioned or if a vehicle is detected on the tracks. Before trains can operate at speeds greater than 79 miles per hour (mph), the PTC system at grade crossing locations and within the train must be tested for efficiency and compliance with Federal regulations. Once PTC testing is complete and approved, trains will begin operating at speeds of up to 90 mph. This initial increase in speeds is anticipated to begin in 2020. The overall Project encompasses improvements designed to accommodate the operation of higher speed passenger trains, up to 110 mph.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has a number of contact points for information on this project. Visit www.idothsr.org or www.facebook.com/illinoishighspeedrail for more Program specific information and to comment on the Illinois High-Speed Rail Program. In addition to the websites, we encourage stakeholders to sign-up for the mailing list to receive program updates.

You can direct questions and comments to us via http://www.idothsr.org/comments/. Written correspondence can be sent directly to the Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Public & Intermodal Transportation, 69 West Washington, Chicago, IL 60602. A hotline has also been established for receipt of comments, 1-855-IDOT-HSR (436-8477).

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has developed an Illinois Rail Crossing Safety Program in conjunction with Operation Lifesaver. Contact the ICC to schedule a crossing safety program for your community. Contact Chip Pew at (312) 636-3034, cpew@icc.illinois.gov

As part of the Program to accommodate trains operating at speeds up to 110 miles per hour, several safety enhancements have been implemented:

• The track has been upgraded to premium rail and other components, which supports safer operations.
• Safety improvements have been completed for warning devices, railroad signals, and roadway approaches at grade crossings.
• Fencing has been installed for added safety to pedestrians.
• Positive Train Control (PTC) and enhanced grade crossing warning system are being installed and testing along the corridor to support higher speed service.

Yes - as part of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) funding selection for the Illinois High-Speed Rail Program improvements, six new sets of equipment (trainsets) capable of operating at up to 110 miles per hour have been purchased for use on the Chicago to St. Louis corridor. Each trainset consists of five passenger rail cars that include coach and business class seating as well as premium amenities, such as food service and Wi-Fi. New high horsepower diesel locomotives will be used on each trainset. Specifications for the new equipment were developed by a national consortium of State departments of transportation (DOTs), equipment suppliers, and other industry experts. New locomotives were delivered to the State of Illinois in 2018 and new passenger cars are expected to be delivered in 2020.

In 2005, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a rule requiring that locomotive horns be sounded as a warning to highway users at public highway-rail crossings. To mitigate the effects of train horn noise, federal regulations provide public authorities the opportunity to establish quiet zones in their community, as long as certain safety measures are in place and the crossing accident rate meets FRA standards. Communities wishing to establish New Quiet Zones must submit Notices of Intent and Establishment in accordance with the rule. For more detailed guidelines on establishing quiet zones refer to the Final Rule.