Take the Amtrak Pere Marquette to Grand Rapids
http://chicagoist.com/2013/06/14/take_a_trip_out_of_the_city_on_amtr.php
If you’re looking for a good way to spend a few days outside Chicago, take a train trip and hop on Amtrak’s Pere Marquette to Grand Rapids. The line runs through five cities—parts of the route along Lake Michigan—and gets you to the surprisingly cosmopolitan city in plenty of comfort. 
http://www.sj-r.com/breaking/x2034904509/City-county-seeking-federal-grant-for-rail-underpass#ixzz2VTJnUeaO
Springfield and Sangamon County officials have applied for a $14 million federal grant to build a railroad underpass near the city’s medical district — one of eight underpasses (plus one overpass) that are planned as part of the 10th Street consolidation project.
Mayor Mike Houston said the planned underpass would be located where Carpenter Street intersects the 10th Street railroad tracks and would cost nearly $22 million.
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/pets/Pets-on-Amtrak-Federal-bill-would-ok-it.html
Dogs and cats are welcome on planes and many hotels, so why not on trains?
Well. it will take an act of Congress to make it happen.
A federal bil introduced last week would clear the way for pets to join their people on certain Amtrak passenger trains.
H.R. 2066, the Pets on Trains Act of 2013, introduced by U.S. Reps. Jeff Denham, (R-CA) and Steve Cohen, (D-TN), would require Amtrak, the national rail operator, to implement a pet policy to allow passengers to travel with domesticated cats and dogs on certain trains.
“My dog, Lily, is part of our family and travels with us to and from California all the time. If I can take her a on a plane, why can’t I travel with her on Amtrak, too?” said Rep. Denham. “Allowing families to bring their animals with them will facilitate transportation and efficiency while also providing a much-needed source of revenue for Amtrak.”
Under the legislation, Amtrak would be required to develop a policy for people to travel with their pets, and to designate, where feasible, at least one car of each passenger train in which a ticketed passenger may transport a dog or cat.
http://www.starcourier.com/article/20130506/NEWS/130509456
Kewanee’s railroad connections past and present will be featured in the city’s first participation Saturday in the National Train Day celebration.
Railroad breakfasts to kids’ rides on a half-scale model train are among the activities planned by the city of Kewanee, Kewanee Chamber of Commerce and Henry County Tourism Bureau, who hope it becomes an annual event.
The train fun begins Saturday at 8 a.m. and lasts until 11:30 a.m. at Kewanee’s new Amtrak Station at 224 W. Third Street.
http://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/article/20130430/NEWS/130429128
During a luncheon late Monday morning at Sports Corner @ 124 in Macomb, city officials from five communities located along the Chicago-Quincy Amtrak corridor appointed the group’s two co-chairs and developed subcommittees that will focus primarily on marketing and branding the stretch of railway that includes Galesburg, Macomb, Kewanee, Princeton and Quincy.
The community representatives present Monday were also joined by officials from Amtrak and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), representatives from regional community colleges and several members of the Illinois General Assembly.
For the ninth time in the last decade, Amtrak’s Hiawatha Service between Milwaukee and Chicago set a calendar year ridership record.
Last year’s ridership of the passenger rail line totaled 832,500 compared to 823,163 the year before, which was the first time the Hiawatha Service surpassed 800,000.
(more)
Post Link: http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/amtraks-hiawatha-service-sets-ridership-record-508l8dk-189736441.html
Engineering and environmental study work is under way on the passenger rail line that will link Moline with Chicago, and the rail service is expected to be in operation by the end of 2015, project officials said during a public informational meeting Thursday in Moline.
(more)
Post Link: http://qctimes.com/news/local/rail-to-link-moline-chicago-by-end-of/article_734e04d6-2a0a-11e2-bb3e-0019bb2963f4.html
Amtrak says it’s gearing up for a busy Thanksgiving holiday.
The rail services said Wednesday that Thanksgiving likely will be the busiest travel period of the year, and officials expect trains to sell out for the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Saturday and Sunday after the holiday.
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Post Link: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-11-15/amtrak-preparing-for-busiest-travel-period-of-year
Woooooh… Wooooh. The very sound of the Amtrak train horn is among the most evocative bits of Americana. It conjures up images of giant locomotives, ploughing their way across the country. With romantic names like “The Texas Eagle,” “The Silver Meteor,” “The City of New Orleans,” and my home for the next week, “The California Zephyr.” The train is America.
Because while the horse and covered wagon gave rise to the frontier spirit, it was the country’s railroad that propelled this vast nation into becoming an economic powerhouse. The West may have been won on horseback, but it was the train that carried the swathes of victors to those newly claimed lands. The railroads became the backbone of the country. Transporting labor from one side to the other and the goods they produced to the entire country.
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Post Link: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/13/business/us-election-amtrak/index.html
Amtrak is adding more trains to its Wolverine route between Ann Arbor and Chicago in anticipation of a busy Thanksgiving weekend.
The passenger train service has deployed additional rail cars for the holiday, but spokesman Marc Magliari said this is the first time in his 13 years with Amtrak that it’s offering four more trains along the Wolverine route for Thanksgiving.
(more)
Post Link: http://www.mlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/10/amtrak_adding_trains_through_m.html
NewsVision for High-Speed Rail in America
Map:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iGrRyXcGCgI/Tfon_fHqrxI/AAAAAAAAbF0/sp8DVZNhav0/s1600/1.png…
Read moreGovernor Quinn, Secretary LaHood and Senator Durbin Preview 110-MPH Rail Service in Illinois
110-mile per hour Rail Demonstration A Milestone For Midwest High-Speed Rail Network, Thousands of Jobs Created from Work
Read moreVIDEO: High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Program
Witnesses testified on the Obama administration’s high-speed rail program.
Read moreAmtrak Ridership Growth Continues in FY 2013
March sets record as single best month in history of railroad
Read moreU.S. High-Speed Rail Programs Already Creating Jobs, Economic Benefits
http://evworld.com/news.cfm?newsid=29692
Take a Trip Out of the City on Amtrak’s Pere Marquette to Grand Rapids
Take the Amtrak Pere Marquette to Grand Rapids
http://chicagoist.com/2013/06/14/take_a_trip_out_of_the_city_on_amtr.php
If you’re looking for a good way …
Read moreIDOT Expected to Seek Proposals in mid-July to Build High-Speed Locomotives
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City, county seeking federal grant for rail underpass
http://www.sj-r.com/breaking/x2034904509/City-county-seeking-federal-grant-for-rail-underpass#ixzz2VTJnUeaO
Springfield and Sangamon County officials have applied for a $14 million federal grant to build …
Read moreIL Lawmakers Pushing For Amtrak Expansion In Area
http://www.kwqc.com/story/22513832/il-lawmakers-pushing-for-amtrak-expansion-in-area
Read moreSPRINGFIELD – Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider, Springfield Mayor Michael J. Houston and Sangamon County …
Read moreResearchers say high-speed rail could fuel U.S. real-estate, economic booms
http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=222234
New high-speed rail lines are credited with sparking a real estate and housing boom, among …
Read moreDear Illinois Amtrak Community:
You are invited to participate in the 2013 Annual Explore Illinois by …
Read moreAmtrak chief rallies rail faithful in Chicago
The head of Amtrak came to Chicago today to rally the rail faithful, and his …
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