Expanded passenger rail service is feasible

In 2007 and 2008, Amtrak, at the request of Iowa and Illinois, completed feasibility studies for new passenger rail service from Iowa City (via Quad Cities) to Chicago and Dubuque to Chicago. Iowa has also requested studies to look at further expansion to Des Moines and Waterloo.

The estimated costs attributable to Iowa for each route are listed below. Iowa and Illinois will negotiate actual cost sharing. Capital expenditures for infrastructure and equipment are eligible for a federal grant program that would pay 80 percent of the expansion costs. Station costs are not included.

Iowa City – Quad Cities – Chicago service
Daily frequency – 2 round trips
Time – 4 hours 58 minutes
Speed – 79 mph
Track improvements in Iowa – $32.5 million
Iowa’s equipment cost – $1.9 million
Iowa’s annual operating support – $1.6 million

More details:
Quad Cities to Chicago study
Iowa City to Quad Cities study

Dubuque – Chicago
Daily frequency – 1 round trip
Time – 5 hours 10 minutes
Speed – 49 mph
Track improvements in Iowa – None
Iowa’s equipment cost – $0.3 million
Iowa’s annual operating support – $0.5 million