Is Peoria ready for commuter rail service?

September 12, 2006
By Billy Dennis

C.J. Summers has an article on some folks who seem to think so. I’ll reserve judgement.

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25 Responses to “ Is Peoria ready for commuter rail service? ”

  1. Dan Dermody on September 13, 2006 at 8:30 am

    CJ…A train from Dunlap to Peoria might work, however, from my vantage point here on the 12th floor of Civic Center Plaza I watch a constant stream of headlights each morning coming down the I-74 hill into Peoria, with another steady stream of cars crossing the Bob Michel bridge. I’m wondering if a train from say Bloomington to Peoria might work with stops in Carlock, Congerville, Deer Creek, and Morton. Perhaps one from the south as well to pick up those from down around San Jose, Delavan, Hopedale, Pekin, etc. While we’re at it…maybe one from Canton, Farmington, Hanna City, etc as well.
    Just a thought. But with the thousands of headlights I see each morning from up here at WIRL, there would seem to be a lot of potential ridership.

  2. Billy Dennis on September 13, 2006 at 9:11 am

    Until that moment arrives in which it would be more convenient to take a train than to one’s own car, we will continue to reject commuter rail transportation here. Simply put: Using the rails required people follow someone else’s schedule. A car does not.

  3. Cory on September 13, 2006 at 9:17 am

    I don’t know about anyone else, but my car follows my boss’ schedule. He determines what time it leaves my house and what time it goes home.

  4. Tony on September 13, 2006 at 10:38 am

    Years ago there was a commuter train. It ran from Pekin to Peoria, stopping in Bartonville and such.

    It’s not there any more. I guess Peoria ISN’T in need of such a thing after all…

  5. Anon E. Mouse on September 13, 2006 at 10:38 am

    If a Train A leaves Dunlap at 6:45am traveling at 45 MPH heading for downtown Peoria, and Train B leaves downtown Peoria at 5:15pm for Dunlap travelling at a similar rate of speed, does anyone care?

    If there is a rail service that MIGHT work, I think PIA-B/N is it.

    Peoria to Normal with stops on Morton and, maybe Goodfield.

  6. storm72 on September 13, 2006 at 10:44 am

    I believe commuter rail service between Peoria and Bloomington-Normal was studied around 2000 and found to be not feasible due to high costs were high and low passenger loads. Granted, gas prices were much lower back then, but I’d suspect the findings today would still be similar. Driving between Peoria and Bloomington-Normal isn’t like Chicago where avoiding major headaches on the expressways is a huge incentive to take the train. People will complain about the price of gas, but they’ll still drive.

  7. Tony on September 13, 2006 at 10:52 am

    Good call storm…

    I checked into the prices of riding the train from B/N to Chicago for my family of four versus driving. It turns out that at $3.15 a gallon, it is cheaper to drive my gas-guzzling SUV than it is to ride the train.

    Not only that, but I would have to drive to B/N to get on the freakin thing because Peoria doesn’t have an Amtrak station.

    All the while, Amtrak is being subsidized out the wazzoo to stay in operation.

    Let’s not forget that the people who wrote this article and float this idea are train people.

    Not feasible. And besides, who wants to turn a 12 minute trip from Pioneer Park to Downtown into a 40 minute train ride? Any takers?

  8. Anon E. Mouse on September 13, 2006 at 11:11 am

    Does Wildlife Prairie STATE Park’s train count as ‘commuter rail service?’

    I really like rockets more than trains. Could we change it to a commuter rocket service? I’d support that, because that would be cool.

  9. Anon E. Mouse on September 13, 2006 at 11:18 am

    I think the last line I have quoted says it all…

    ———————————
    And all the towns and people seem
    To fade into a bad dream
    And the steel rails still ain’t heard the news.
    The conductor sings his song again,
    The passengers will please refrain
    This train’s got the disappearing railroad blues.

    –Credit Arlo Guthrie

  10. JW on September 13, 2006 at 1:32 pm

    If all the people in Dunlap, who work downtown, moved downtown (or to the nearby “new” near south side), there wouldn’t be a need for even cars. Seems the taxpayers just spent half a billion dollars upgrading I-74 for people unwilling to take public transportation, I doubt anyone would seriously consider spending the same, or more, to then offer a few a train ride downtown. Here, in San Diego, we have an extensive trolley system that is used mostly by students, tourists, those crossing the border and people going directly to football or baseball games. It has done little to ease traffic on the freeways. I love trains and used the Chillicothe Amtrak station many times. But, I think spending a few hundred million dollars on a local system just to provide a handful of those who chose to flee the city an easy way to get to work is asking too much. The money would be better spent upgrading the schools.

  11. Tony on September 13, 2006 at 3:13 pm

    In Peoria, public transportation is used by people who don’t have cars and people who are wacko and are trying to make a point about public transportation.

  12. Silence NoGood on September 13, 2006 at 4:33 pm

    yeah, anon…stops to Goodfield to go to the jellystone park, yeah…and Morton…sure. Plenty to do in Morton and Goodfield. yes, I might take the train there..if I were doing a documentary on how stupid it would be to put a train stop that goes to these two areas. Maybe in 2025.

  13. Floyd on September 13, 2006 at 4:44 pm

    I think the stops in Morton and Goodfield weren’t for our various vacation pleasures, but to pick up the Goodfieldians and Mortonians that go to work downtown, eh Boo Boo?

    I could imagine the flocks of Peorians heading with tents and pick-a-nick baskets off the Goodfield train in search of the hidden central Illinois gem of a spa of a campground! Women with large sun hats, balding men in swim trunks carrying everything, two children running and screaming with zinc oxide on their noses. How funnY!

  14. Silence NoGood on September 13, 2006 at 5:04 pm

    Yeah, I see what ya mean Floyd, but still why take a train to pick up 4 people.

  15. MMJ on September 13, 2006 at 8:35 pm

    This is the dumbest thing I have ever read. I feel 10% dumber right now. How about a hiking trail to downtown as well? OH wait…

  16. Silence NoGood on September 13, 2006 at 9:59 pm

    I just like Tony’s reply….

  17. JW on September 13, 2006 at 11:52 pm

    “Public transportation” has always included the very heavily tax supported airlines. You know, airplanes, for people too lazy to walk or hitchhike.

  18. Conrad Stinnett on September 14, 2006 at 8:05 am

    In the early decades of the 20th century, my grandfather worked on a street car. We need better public transportation, including rail service.

  19. Anon E. Mouse on September 14, 2006 at 8:46 am

    Conrad, in the early 20th century, my great-grandfather farmed with horses. What we need are more horse farms and more saddle/buggy-whip factories.

  20. Tony on September 14, 2006 at 9:29 am

    Yeah but in the early 20th century, Interstate Highway traffic was sooooooo much easier to deal with. Those rail cars sure did take a bite out of the morning commute time as well.

  21. Silence NoGood on September 14, 2006 at 3:02 pm

    That was back when I use to walk uphill in the snow 25 miles to go to the schoolhouse, and eat vegemite.

  22. Conrad Stinnett on September 15, 2006 at 8:01 am

    Rail service in Peoria and to Peoria used to be a reality. Today it is a memory. It worked once. Could it work again? I think so. It should be explored.

  23. Trainlady on September 16, 2006 at 11:12 pm

    Let’s look at this in a little different light. First off we are proposing a park n ride for those coming in from Dunlap and Brimfield etc. they would park and get on the trolley and go into downtown Peoria. The city link would pick them up in special shuttles that would drop them off around town to their various offices and businesses. This would free up the city streets and the bumper to bumper traffic coming into town every morning. The zoo that starts at 5 p.m in every parking deck in the town would be eliminated. The pollution of all the cars in the city would be reduced and Peoria would become a better place to work and live. The people riding the trolley would still be within the city limits going home at night and be able to do their shopping and going to shows etc., with ease before going home.
    The commuter rail is proposed for Peoria to Bloomington and back in the mornings and late afernoons. This would take people to work and back again freeing up the streets and roadways and lessening the pollution from the vehicles. Also it would encourage people from Bloomington to come to Peoria to O’Brien Field, the Civic Center, symphonies, concerts, shows, riverfront events, etc and the new museum.
    The Trolley can be got with economic development grants at no cost to the city. Advertising dollars would help pay for the upkeep and thus keep the ridership fees to a minimum. This would make Peoria a better place to live and work and be a “connected” city. Also the trail running along side of the track would be better watched for the hikers and bikers so that they would not be left alone for the elements of the city that are not the best. Also the Trolley can be outfitted to carry bikes for those that ride down hill to work and want a ride home uphill on the trolley. This would also beneift tourism and allow it to be an extra attraction to the museum and the downtown riverfront development. Also it could be rented out for weddings, retirement parties, corporate meetings, etc. An extra car could be put on at night for dinner on the trolley or weekends. Also docents could be on for weekends and point out the many historic areas along the track like Springdale Cemetery, etc. There would be no outlay for tracks or the trolley. Freight could also be restored to this track and run much cheaper than is running now and they would maintain the trackage. Its all feasible and the money side of it is being looked into so as not to put a burden on the city or the riders. Currently the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission is working on regional transit plans for the future of our area. We need to take advantage of the wonderful assets we have here both track and trail. Make this the destination place with all this to offer.
    Just my two cents.

  24. Trainlady on September 17, 2006 at 12:37 am

    At this point in time Peoria has a unique attraction that few other communities have. There is a complete ring road of tracks that circle Peoria and there are companies that are putting in businesses 100 miles away just to take advantage of the railroad connections we have here. This is a proven fact and can be documented. Peoria is not taking advantage of this in its growth cell. As was stated some time ago you have to jump through so many hoops with the city that you just plain get disgusted and go elsewhere. I was up in front of the One Stop Shopping commitee and found it impossible to meet all their demands to open my business so I went across the river. so many others are doing the same thing even long time businesses here are getting disgusted and being offered better things elsewhere. What is wrong with Peoria in not taking advantage of what we have and enhancing it? Do you know that you can carry one ton of freight 400 miles for one gallon of gas on a railroad? Multiply that by millions of tons of freight and think how much could be saved. That savings goes into our pockets, yours and mine. We save because the cost of shipping is cheaper and we save because the trucks that would carry that freight are not tearing up the local roads and you and I pay for that in repairs to all the roads. Highways and local streets. Also there is a new deal coming to this country. The AFTA program is allowing 53′ trucks pulled by semi’s to attach three of these to a semi tractor. Can you imagine riding down the highway next to a truck that has three 53′ trailers on it? Add to this the fact that the federal government doesn’t allow these trucks on their highways and that puts them on the state highways that you and I are paying for that don’t meet federal building standards and we are paying through the nose, both for the repairs to the road, the risk of these huge behemoths traveling along side our family cars and the cost of hauling freight vs railroad freight hauling. Peoria has a unique opportunity to capitalize on it and make something for everyone. Save money, save roads, save lives, and save the air pollution problem and bring more business and jobs to the Peoria area. If we are going to bring tourism through bikes, lets give them the goods that they are going to buy while they are here. Bring in the freight in dry goods, food commodities and all the rest of the things that are hauled by freight. We have the lines we have the opportunity, where are the brains to use it?

  25. David P. Jordan on September 17, 2006 at 3:44 pm

    “There is a complete ring road of tracks that circle Peoria”

    Actually, this is a reverse loop (note that the Pioneer Jct. connection switch faces north). The “circle” is owned and/or operated by three different entities. One, is the Union Pacific mainline and “Low Line” into Peoria proper from Pioneer Jct. to Peoria Jct. then to the Tazewell & Peoria RR connection at Darst St. Second, is the Tazewell & Peoria RR mainline (the “circle” would be from Darst St. to the Kellar Branch connection (“P&PU Jct.”) near Spring St. Finally, city-owned trackage including the Kellar Branch and the former Union Pacific Pioneer Industrial Lead forms the third part of this “circle.”

    A train could not legally “circle” Peoria without trackage rights agreements, and what would be the point?

    A “circle” is not relevant to railroad-supported economic development; it’s the fact that the Kellar Branch and its connection to Growth Cell Two that would provide competitive access to multiple rail connections for the serving rail carrier and good economic reasons for logistical and light manufacturing-type industry to invest in Peoria. A trail will not do that.