Union Pacific: Key Partner rail service fit for

NEW high-speed rail services that allow passenger trains to travel up to 110 mph between Chicago and St. Louis got a key assist from one of the nation’s largest freight train operators – Union Pacific Railroad.

Union Pacific worked closely on the 25-year project with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), the lead agency that spearheaded the nearly $2 billion effort that culminates June 26 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the first 110 mph public train schedule on this route.

The project was a mammoth undertaking that required Union Pacific’s Engineering teams to develop new technologies to safely accommodate fast-moving passenger trains and freight trains on the same system.

It also marks a key milestone in the relationship between freight and passenger train interests and underscores what can be accomplished when the two work together. Since the early 1970s, as railroads began to specialize in freight services, there has been inherent tension between the two. This project is a shining example of how both can co-exist and benefit from public-private partnerships and investments in rail infrastructure.

“The Illinois Department of Transportation oversaw the project, with Union Pacific as the primary partner,” said Scott Speegle, Passenger Rail and Transit Communications Manager for IDOT. “We view Union Pacific as a very important partner in this and other rail projects.”

Kicked into high gear

The new passenger speed limit, which goes into effect on Amtrak’s Lincoln Service, shaves approximately 15 minutes from the route’s existing 90 mph runtimes and 30 minutes from its initial 79 mph schedule. Passenger trains can now run at 110 miles per hour on more than 180 miles of Union Pacific’s 242-mile portion of the Chicago-St. Louis route but will be required to slow down as they enter and exit certain urban areas and one area of the route with significant curvature.

The project started approximately 25 years ago but kicked into high gear