Black Hawk (Amtrak train)

Last updated

Black Hawk
Black Hawk at Dubuque, 1981.jpg
The Black Hawk at Dubuque in 1981
Overview
Service type Inter-city rail
StatusDiscontinued
Locale Illinois, Iowa
Predecessor Land O'Corn
First serviceFebruary 13, 1974
Last serviceSeptember 30, 1981
Successor Rockford Intercity Passenger Rail (proposed)
Former operator(s) Amtrak
Route
Termini Chicago, Illinois
Dubuque, Iowa
Stops6
Distance travelled182 miles (293 km)
Average journey time4 hours 10 minutes
Service frequencyDaily
Train number(s)370-372
On-board services
Class(es) Unreserved coach
Catering facilitiesOn-board cafe
Technical
Track gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Track owner(s) Chicago Central (CN)

The Black Hawk was an Amtrak passenger train service that operated from 1974 to 1981 between Chicago, Illinois, and Dubuque, Iowa, via Rockford, Illinois. The original Black Hawk operated over the Illinois Central route, now the Canadian National's Chicago Central/Iowa Zone.

Contents

From 2010 to 2014, plans called for the restored route to follow the same corridor; however, the state government could not come to an agreement with the railroad. Instead, the route would follow Metra's Milwaukee District / West Line from Union Station to Big Timber Road, then the Union Pacific Railroad to Rockford. Restored service to Rockford was planned to begin in 2015, but was put on hold by Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner. An extension to Dubuque was to open at a later date.

The Rockford service was later funded in 2019 with the support of Governor J.B. Pritzker. In July 2023, Pritzker announced that two round trips a day between Chicago and Rockford would begin by 2027, with the service operated by Metra as Rockford Intercity Passenger Rail rather than by Amtrak.

History

Previous operation

Amtrak Black Hawk in Hillside, July 1975 Amtrak Black Hawk in Hillside, July 1975.jpg
Amtrak Black Hawk in Hillside, July 1975

Prior to Amtrak, the Illinois Central Railroad operated the Land O'Corn between Chicago and Waterloo, Iowa, discontinuing it in 1967. Addition of a Chicago–Dubuque service was part of a 1973 state transportation bill, which also funded the addition of the Illini and Saluki and State House plus continued operation of the Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg and two Rock Island trains. [1]

The first Black Hawk began running on February 13, 1974, using Budd Rail Diesel Cars (RDCs). Conventional diesel locomotives and coaches replaced the RDCs after February 2, 1976. [2] [3] Equipment varied, including ex-Chicago & North Western gallery cars, dome cars, boat-tailed observation cars, full diners, lunch counter diners and ex-ATSF Hi-Level Coaches. Further, power for the Black Hawk also varied on a regular basis with GE P30CHs, EMD SDP40Fs, EMD F40PHs and the occasional Illinois Central Gulf "Geep" filling in for ailing motive power (an ICG EMD GP10 towed the last RDC consist into Chicago in 1976). Amfleet coaches arrived in November 1976. The Black Hawk ceased on September 30, 1981, after Illinois reduced its appropriations for passenger service. [4] : 248, 251 

Several Rockford based groups sponsored special charter trips on the Black Hawk to Chicago events such as Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox games as well as performances of "The Ice Capades". On these trips, the consists could swell to as many as seven to ten cars. During the RDC days, the usual consist consisted of three RDCs. During the mid-to-late 1970s the consist usually included three cars, including a food service car of one type or another. During a good part of the summer of 1977, the Black Hawk ran with a full dining car and dome coaches.

The route used the former Illinois Central Railroad route (then part of the Illinois Central Gulf) between Chicago's Union Station and Bridgeport and the Freeport Subdivision west of Bridgeport. [5] : 44 

Restoration

In 2007, Amtrak, at the state of Illinois' request, conducted a feasibility study to reinstate the Black Hawk route to Rockford and Dubuque. Initial capital costs ranged from $32 million to $55 million, depending on the route. Once in operation, the service would require roughly $5 million a year in subsidies from the state. [6] On December 10, 2010, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced that service would begin in 2014. The route would use the trackage of the Chicago Central and Pacific Railroad, itself owned by the Canadian National Railway. [7] This would have been the only Illinois Service train not running along a Metra line. IDOT confirmed the return of the "Black Hawk" name in 2012. [8]

The equipment to be used on the route was to be the Next Generation Bi-Level Passenger Rail Car built by Nippon Sharyo at a new plant in Rochelle, Illinois, which is located just 24 miles (39 km) south of a portion of the proposed route. [9] However, when one of the first cars manufactured failed a critical safety test the contract was canceled and the plant never fully opened. [10] The equipment will instead be single level Siemens Venture cars built at its plant in Sacramento, California, similar to cars supplied to Brightline for its services in Florida.

In April 2014, Governor Pat Quinn announced a $223 million investment to begin service as far as Rockford by 2015. After two years of negotiations, IDOT had been unable to reach a deal with Canadian National to use their lines. Instead, the train would take Metra's Milwaukee District / West Line and Union Pacific tracks through Elgin, Huntley, and Belvidere before terminating in Rockford. This would require construction of a connecting track between the two lines near Big Timber Road station. IDOT planned to continue working with the CN to eventually extend the route to Dubuque. [11] In February 2015, Governor Bruce Rauner announced that development of the route would be put on hold until further notice, as the state did not have sufficient funds to continue the project. $3 million had been spent out of the $223 million plan. Huntley, Illinois, had spent over $50,000 to build a station platform. [12]

In July 2019, the state legislature passed a new transportation bill supported by Governor J. B. Pritzker, in which $275 million was appropriated to begin service to Rockford. [13] IDOT hired WSP as the project manager in September 2020, with the intent to begin engineering and environmental analysis. [14] In its 2020–2025 service plan, Amtrak forecasted that the Chicago–Rockford route would begin in fiscal year 2025 and attract 136,900 riders that year. [15] In 2021, amid a push by the Biden administration to pass an infrastructure bill, Amtrak included two daily trains to Rockford in its 15-year expansion vision. The document lists a one-way trip time of 1 hour 51 minutes and includes an additional stop at Roselle station. [16] In November 2021, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which includes $4 billion for public transportation in Illinois. [17] While initial Black Hawk service had already been funded, local Democratic State Senator Steve Stadelman said, "maybe with this additional funding we can speed up the project." [18]

On July 6, 2023, Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker announced that the service would be operated by Metra. The service, planned to start operating in late 2027, will consist of two trains a day. Travel time is expected to take just under two hours. [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metra</span> Suburban railroad operator in the Chicago, Illinois metropolitan area, in the US

Metra is the primary commuter rail system in the Chicago metropolitan area serving the city of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs via the Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway, and other railroads. The system operates 242 stations on 11 rail lines. It is the fourth busiest commuter rail system in the United States by ridership and the largest and busiest commuter rail system outside the New York City metropolitan area. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 31,894,900, or about 152,400 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023. The estimated busiest day for Metra ridership occurred on November 4, 2016—the day of the Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series victory rally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illinois Central Railroad</span> American railroad

The Illinois Central Railroad, sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, was a railroad in the Central United States. Its primary routes connected Chicago, Illinois, with New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama, and thus, the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. Another line connected Chicago west to Sioux City, Iowa (1870), while smaller branches reached Omaha, Nebraska (1899) from Fort Dodge, Iowa, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota (1877), from Cherokee, Iowa. The IC also ran service to Miami, Florida, on trackage owned by other railroads.

<i>Illinois Service</i> Amtrak train routes in Illinois, US

The Illinois Service, branded Amtrak Illinois, comprises three passenger rail routes operated by Amtrak in the American state of Illinois. The Illinois Service is funded primarily by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and falls under the broader Amtrak Midwest brand.

<i>North Coast Hiawatha</i> Former long-distance Amtrak train

The North Coast Hiawatha was a streamlined long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago, Illinois, and Seattle, Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iowa Interstate Railroad</span> United States railroad subsidiary company

The Iowa Interstate Railroad is a Class II regional railroad operating in the central United States. The railroad is owned by Railroad Development Corporation of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

<i>Illini</i> and <i>Saluki</i> Amtrak services between Chicago, IL and Carbondale, IL

The Illini and Saluki are a pair of passenger trains operated by Amtrak along a 310-mile (500 km) route between Chicago and Carbondale, Illinois. They are part of Amtrak's Illinois Service and are primarily funded by the state of Illinois. The service provides two daily roundtrips; Saluki being the morning trains and Illini the afternoon trains. The route is coextensive with the far northern leg of the long-distance City of New Orleans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BNSF Line</span> Commuter rail service in the Chicago area

The BNSF Line is a Metra commuter rail line operated by the BNSF Railway in Chicago and its western suburbs, running from Chicago Union Station to Aurora, Illinois. In 2010, the BNSF Line continued to have the highest weekday ridership of the 11 Metra lines. While Metra does not refer to its lines by particular colors, the BNSF line's color on Metra timetables is "Cascade Green," in honor of the Burlington Northern Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milwaukee District West Line</span> Commuter rail line in Illinois

The Milwaukee District West Line (MD-W) is a Metra commuter rail line in Chicago, Illinois, and its western suburbs. Metra does not refer to any of its lines by a particular color, but the timetable accents for the Milwaukee District West line are dark "Arrow Yellow," honoring the Milwaukee Road's Arrow passenger train. Trains are dispatched from the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway's American headquarters in Minneapolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joliet Union Station</span> Former train station in Joliet, Illinois, U.S.

Joliet Union Station was a train station in Joliet, Illinois that served Amtrak long-distance and Metra commuter trains. It was replaced by the new Joliet Transportation Center in 2018, a train station that was constructed adjacent to the Union Station's location. Train service to Joliet Union Station permanently ceased in September 2014. The station is 37.0 miles (59.5 km) from Chicago Union Station on the Heritage Corridor, and 40.1 miles (64.5 km) from Chicago LaSalle St. Station on the Rock Island District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alton station (Illinois)</span>

Alton Regional Multimodal Transportation Center, also known as Alton station, is a station in Alton, Illinois, that is served by Amtrak's Lincoln Service and the Texas Eagle. This was also a stop for the Ann Rutledge until April 2007. It is one of three Amtrak stations in the St. Louis metropolitan area; the other two are the Gateway Multimodal Transportation Center located in downtown St. Louis, and the Amtrak station in Kirkwood, Missouri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elgin station (Illinois)</span> Metra station in the United States

Elgin is one of three stations on Metra's Milwaukee District West Line in Elgin, Illinois. The station is 36.6 miles (58.9 km) away from Chicago Union Station, the eastern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Elgin is in zone 4. As of 2018, Elgin is the 116th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 411 weekday boardings.

<i>Land OCorn</i>

The Land O'Corn was a streamlined passenger train operated by the Illinois Central Railroad between Chicago, Illinois, and Waterloo, Iowa, from 1941 until 1967. Its inception was due in no small part to John W. Rath of Ackley, IA and part owner of the Rath Packing Co. of Waterloo, Iowa as well as a member of the Illinois Central's board of directors. It featured a wide range of equipment over its existence, including self-propelled Motorailers and steam locomotives, before finally adopting conventional diesel locomotives and lightweight cars. The Illinois Central discontinued the Land O'Corn in 1967; Amtrak later operated the Black Hawk over part of its route.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dubuque Intermodal Transportation Center</span>

The Dubuque Intermodal Transportation Center(DITC) is a bus station located in Dubuque, Iowa. It serves as the new transfer center for Dubuque's bus system, between Jule buses and intercity buses serving Dubuque, and as a transfer point between other modes of land transportation.

Illinois High Speed Rail refers to a set of planned high speed rail lines connecting Chicago Union Station to various parts of the state and beyond. Two lines already offer increased speeds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freeport Subdivision</span>

The Freeport Subdivision is a railroad line in Illinois which runs from 16th Street in downtown Chicago to Freeport, Illinois. It is owned and operated by the Canadian National Railway (CN). As of 2016 the line is almost exclusively freight-only, with only a small segment within Chicago, between 21st Street in Chinatown and Ashland Avenue in Bridgeport, hosting Amtrak and Metra passenger trains.

The Quad Cities is a planned Amtrak Illinois Service intercity passenger train that will operate between Chicago and Moline in the US state of Illinois. The train will duplicate the route and stations of the Carl Sandburg and Illinois Zephyr between Chicago and Wyanet using track owned by BNSF. On the Wyanet–Moline segment, which will include a station at Geneseo, the train will use track owned by Iowa Interstate Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moline station</span>

Moline station is a proposed train station in Moline, Illinois, intended to serve as the terminus of the Quad Cities Amtrak line. Construction has begun and the station was initially expected to open by 2019, though it remains incomplete as of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amtrak Midwest</span> Amtrak train routes in the Midwest US

Amtrak Midwest is a brand name applied by Amtrak to its state-supported routes in the Midwest states of Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Missouri. As of 2024, Amtrak Midwest consists of ten named trains:

The Rockford Intercity Passenger Rail is a proposed Metra inter-city rail service between Chicago and Rockford, Illinois. The project is being led by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) funded with $275 million through the Rebuild Illinois capital plan. The route is expected to begin by late 2027, reinstating rail service to Rockford for the first time in over 40 years after the discontinuation of Amtrak's Black Hawk in 1981.

References

  1. ↑ Ingles, J. David (July 1974). "Amtrak South". Trains. Vol. 34, no. 9. pp. 32–34.
  2. ↑ "Amtrak System Adds Three New Routes". Amtrak News. April 15, 1974. p. 5.
  3. ↑ "Superior Passenger Service Key to Boosting 1975 Ridership". Amtrak News. January 1, 1975. p. 2.
  4. ↑ Sanders, Craig (2006). Amtrak in the Heartland. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. ISBN   978-0-253-34705-3.
  5. ↑ Solomon, Brian (2004). Amtrak. Saint Paul, Minnesota: MBI. ISBN   978-0-7603-1765-5.
  6. ↑ "Amtrak-Illinois DOT Feasibility Study Determines Most Direct Route Best for Service to Rockford, Northwestern Illinois and Dubuque, Iowa". National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Press release). Amtrak. May 16, 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  7. ↑ Weskerna, Nicole (December 11, 2010). "Amtrak will roll through Genoa". Daily Chronicle . Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  8. ↑ Sweeny, Chuck (May 18, 2012). "Amtrak route for area on target for late 2014, early 2015". Rockford Register-Star . Rockford, Illinois: GateHouse Media. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  9. ↑ Leaf, Brian (September 27, 2012). "Rochelle's Nippon Sharyo train car plant lands $352 mil contract". Rockford Register-Star . Rockford, Illinois: GateHouse Media. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
  10. ↑ Bomkamp, Samantha (November 14, 2017). "Rochelle rail-car plant loses $352 million Amtrak contract to California". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  11. ↑ "Governor Quinn Announces $223 Million to Restore Chicago to Rockford Amtrak Service". Lawndale News. April 17, 2014. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Plan for Amtrak service from Chicago to Rockford on hold". Chicago Tribune . Associated Press. February 9, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Rail group celebrates 'big win' for Amtrak line from QC to Chicago". WQAD.com. October 23, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  14. ↑ DeCoaster, Ken (September 24, 2020). "Stadelman: Passenger rail service to Rockford gains traction". Rockford Register Star. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Amtrak Five-Year Service Line Plans: Fiscal Years 2020-2025" (PDF). Amtrak. pp. 71, 151. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Amtrak's Vision for Improving Transportation Across America" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2021. pp. 47, 49–50. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  17. ↑ Price, Shepard (November 9, 2021). "New infrastructure bill could help Amtrak expand". Alton Telegraph. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  18. ↑ Scheuermann, Tyler (November 8, 2021). "Stateline leaders hope infrastructure funds build Amtrak rail from Rockford to Chicago". WREX. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  19. ↑ Ingalls, William (July 6, 2023). "Metra chosen as passenger rail service provider from Rockford/Belvidere to Chicago". wrex.com. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.