Illini (Amtrak)
Encyclopedia
The Illini is a 310-mile (499 km) passenger train operated by Amtrak
that runs between Chicago
and Carbondale, Illinois
. The train is a part of the Illinois Service
rail network and is partially funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation
and by local governments along the route. The train service uses the same track as another Amtrak route, the City of New Orleans
. As of 2006, an additional train, the Saluki
, serves exactly the same route at an alternate time.
During fiscal year 2010, both the Illini and Saluki services combined carried a total of 264,934 passengers, a 3% increase from FY 2009's total of 259,630 passengers. During FY 2010, the two trains had a total revenue of $7,674,434, up 7.7% from $7,126,732 in FY 2009.
's main line between Chicago and New Orleans, Louisiana
ran through Champaign-Urbana and Carbondale, along the east side of Illinois. At the formation of Amtrak in 1971 the Illinois Central still operated a number of services from its Central Station in Chicago over this route, including the Illini and Shawnee (Chicago-Carbondale), the City of New Orleans
and the Panama Limited
(Chicago-New Orleans), the City of Miami
(Chicago-Birmingham).
Amtrak retained two trains on this route: the City of New Orleans (which it named the Panama Limited) and the Shawnee
. Amtrak brought back the Illini name on November 14, 1971 as a Chicago-Champaign train, operating in conjunction with the Campus
. Amtrak discontinued the Campus and Illini on March 5, 1972. Both trains used Central Station, which Amtrak was abandoning; Amtrak judged that the additional 35–40 minutes necessary to serve Union Station
made the schedule impractical. The Illini made its last trip on March 3.
Amtrak revived the Illini on December 19, 1973, again as a Chicago-Champaign service. The restoration was part of $1.5 million expansion program which included the Black Hawk
(Chicago-Rockford-Dubuque), the State House
(St. Louis-Chicago) and supplemental funding for the Rock Island
's two remaining Rockets (Chicago-Peoria and Chicago-Rock Island). The state desired to extend the Illini to Decatur
, but doing so involved a switch from the Illinois Central to the Norfolk & Western
at Tolono
, south of Champaign. The connection between the lines was in poor condition, and no one would take responsibility for repairing it.
Amtrak finally extended the Illini to Decatur on July 2, 1981. Decatur had last seen service in 1971 from the Norfolk & Western's City of Decatur (Chicago-Decatur) and the Wabash
's Wabash Cannon Ball (Detroit-St. Louis). Neither train had been retained by Amtrak. The new Amtrak service used the old Wabash station, which still stands and has become an antique store. Poor ridership prompted Illinois to withdraw its support for the Decatur stop, and Amtrak cut the Illini back to Champaign on July 10, 1983.
On January 12, 1986, Amtrak extended the Illini to Carbondale to replace the Shawnee, which had been canceled because of budget cuts. Service began at Gilman
on October 26, 1986 and Du Quoin
on August 25, 1989.
The Illini service was nearly canceled in 1996, but local communities along the route pledged funds to keep it running.
University
students make up a significant portion of the Illini's passengers. The train has stops near three major Illinois state universities: Southern Illinois University
in Carbondale, Eastern Illinois University
in Charleston
(near Mattoon
), and the University of Illinois
in Urbana-Champaign. The Champaign station may be a source of the train's name: UIUC's sports teams are called the Fighting Illini
- in reference to the Native American group.
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illini, along with the rest of the Illinois Service trains, posted record ridership levels in the 2005-2006 fiscal year. Ridership has continued to steadily increase every month in 2007.
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
that runs between Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Carbondale, Illinois
Carbondale, Illinois
Carbondale is a city in Jackson County, in the state of Illinois, within the Southern Illinois region. It is located at the junction of Illinois Route 13 and U.S. Route 51, southeast of St. Louis, Missouri, on the northern edge of the Shawnee National Forest...
. The train is a part of the Illinois Service
Illinois Service
The Illinois Service, branded as Amtrak Illinois, is a United States passenger rail network that consists of five trains operated by Amtrak along three corridors to provide frequent daily service between Chicago and other cities in the U.S. state of Illinois, plus St. Louis, Missouri...
rail network and is partially funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation
Illinois Department of Transportation
The Illinois Department of Transportation is a state agency in charge of state-maintained public roadways of the U.S. state of Illinois. In addition, IDOT provides funding for rail, public transit and airport projects and administers fuel tax and federal funding to local juridictions in the...
and by local governments along the route. The train service uses the same track as another Amtrak route, the City of New Orleans
City of New Orleans
The City of New Orleans is a nightly passenger train operated by Amtrak which travels between Chicago, Illinois and New Orleans, Louisiana. Before Amtrak's formation in 1971, the train was operated by the Illinois Central Railroad along the same route . The train currently operates on a 19½ hour...
. As of 2006, an additional train, the Saluki
Saluki (Amtrak)
The Saluki is a 310-mile passenger train line operated by Amtrak running between Chicago and Carbondale, Illinois. The train is a part of the Illinois Service rail network and is partially funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation...
, serves exactly the same route at an alternate time.
During fiscal year 2010, both the Illini and Saluki services combined carried a total of 264,934 passengers, a 3% increase from FY 2009's total of 259,630 passengers. During FY 2010, the two trains had a total revenue of $7,674,434, up 7.7% from $7,126,732 in FY 2009.
History
The Illinois Central RailroadIllinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
's main line between Chicago and New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
ran through Champaign-Urbana and Carbondale, along the east side of Illinois. At the formation of Amtrak in 1971 the Illinois Central still operated a number of services from its Central Station in Chicago over this route, including the Illini and Shawnee (Chicago-Carbondale), the City of New Orleans
City of New Orleans
The City of New Orleans is a nightly passenger train operated by Amtrak which travels between Chicago, Illinois and New Orleans, Louisiana. Before Amtrak's formation in 1971, the train was operated by the Illinois Central Railroad along the same route . The train currently operates on a 19½ hour...
and the Panama Limited
Panama Limited
The Panama Limited was a premier all-Pullman car service between Chicago, Illinois and New Orleans, Louisiana. For most of the trains' history a St. Louis section also operated between St...
(Chicago-New Orleans), the City of Miami
City of Miami
This article is about the streamliner. For the city in Florida, see Miami.The City of Miami was a seven-car coach streamliner inaugurated by Illinois Central Railroad on December 18, 1940. Its route was from Chicago to Miami a total distance of ....
(Chicago-Birmingham).
Amtrak retained two trains on this route: the City of New Orleans (which it named the Panama Limited) and the Shawnee
Shawnee (Amtrak train)
The Shawnee was a train operated by Amtrak between Chicago, Illinois and Carbondale, Illinois. The train was one of the few Illinois Central Railroad trains Amtrak retained after the end of most private-sector passenger service in the United States on May 1, 1971...
. Amtrak brought back the Illini name on November 14, 1971 as a Chicago-Champaign train, operating in conjunction with the Campus
Campus (train)
The Campus was a passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago and Champaign, Illinois. The Chicago-Campaign corridor already saw two trains daily: the Shawnee and the Panama Limited . The Campus made a round-trip Friday and Sunday, serving the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign...
. Amtrak discontinued the Campus and Illini on March 5, 1972. Both trains used Central Station, which Amtrak was abandoning; Amtrak judged that the additional 35–40 minutes necessary to serve Union Station
Union Station (Chicago)
Union Station is a major train station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, replacing an earlier 1881 station. It is now the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago, as well as being the city's primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between Adams...
made the schedule impractical. The Illini made its last trip on March 3.
Amtrak revived the Illini on December 19, 1973, again as a Chicago-Champaign service. The restoration was part of $1.5 million expansion program which included the Black Hawk
Black Hawk (Amtrak)
The Black Hawk was an Amtrak route from Chicago, Illinois, to Dubuque, Iowa, using Budd Company rail diesel cars between 1974 and approximately 1978 when the RDCs were replaced with Amfleet equipment using EMD F40PH diesel locomotives. In addition to the RDC's and the Amfleet equipment, the...
(Chicago-Rockford-Dubuque), the State House
State House (Amtrak)
The Lincoln Service is a 284-mile passenger train service operated by Amtrak that runs between Chicago, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri. The train is a part of the Illinois Service rail network and is partially funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation...
(St. Louis-Chicago) and supplemental funding for the Rock Island
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock.-Incorporation:...
's two remaining Rockets (Chicago-Peoria and Chicago-Rock Island). The state desired to extend the Illini to Decatur
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,...
, but doing so involved a switch from the Illinois Central to the Norfolk & Western
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
at Tolono
Tolono, Illinois
Tolono is a village in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,447 at the 2010 census. Its name was fabricated by J.B. Calhoun, land commission of the Illinois Central Railroad, who wrote about it simply: "[I] placed the vowel o three times, thus o-o-o, and filling in with...
, south of Champaign. The connection between the lines was in poor condition, and no one would take responsibility for repairing it.
Amtrak finally extended the Illini to Decatur on July 2, 1981. Decatur had last seen service in 1971 from the Norfolk & Western's City of Decatur (Chicago-Decatur) and the Wabash
Wabash Railroad
The Wabash Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. It served a large area, including trackage in the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Ontario. Its primary connections included Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri, Detroit,...
's Wabash Cannon Ball (Detroit-St. Louis). Neither train had been retained by Amtrak. The new Amtrak service used the old Wabash station, which still stands and has become an antique store. Poor ridership prompted Illinois to withdraw its support for the Decatur stop, and Amtrak cut the Illini back to Champaign on July 10, 1983.
On January 12, 1986, Amtrak extended the Illini to Carbondale to replace the Shawnee, which had been canceled because of budget cuts. Service began at Gilman
Gilman (Amtrak station)
The Gilman Amtrak station is a train station in Gilman, Illinois served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system. The stop is on their Chicago to Carbondale, Illinois route....
on October 26, 1986 and Du Quoin
Du Quoin (Amtrak station)
The Du Quoin Amtrak station is a train station in Du Quoin, Illinois, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system.-External links:*...
on August 25, 1989.
The Illini service was nearly canceled in 1996, but local communities along the route pledged funds to keep it running.
University
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
students make up a significant portion of the Illini's passengers. The train has stops near three major Illinois state universities: Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a public research university located in Carbondale, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1869, SIUC is the flagship campus of the Southern Illinois University system...
in Carbondale, Eastern Illinois University
Eastern Illinois University
Eastern Illinois University is a state university located in Charleston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1895 as the Eastern Illinois State Normal School, a teacher's college offering a two-year degree, Eastern Illinois University gradually expanded into a comprehensive university with a...
in Charleston
Charleston, Illinois
Charleston is a city in and the county seat of Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 21,838 as of the 2010 census. The city is home to Eastern Illinois University and has close ties with its neighbor Mattoon, Illinois...
(near Mattoon
Mattoon, Illinois
Mattoon is a city in Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 18,555 as of the 2010 census. It is a principal city of the Charleston–Mattoon Micropolitan Statistical Area.Mattoon was the site of the "Mad Gasser" attacks of the 1940s....
), and the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
in Urbana-Champaign. The Champaign station may be a source of the train's name: UIUC's sports teams are called the Fighting Illini
Illinois Fighting Illini
The Fighting Illini are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The University offers 10 men's and 11 women's varsity sports....
- in reference to the Native American group.
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illini, along with the rest of the Illinois Service trains, posted record ridership levels in the 2005-2006 fiscal year. Ridership has continued to steadily increase every month in 2007.
Consist
Today, the Amtrak Illini consists of:- 1 GE Genesis P42DC locomotive
- 3 Horizon Fleet Coaches
- 1 Amfleet IAmfleetAmfleet is a series of intercity railroad passenger cars built for the operator Amtrak by the manufacturer Budd Company in two series during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Today, Amfleet cars are used extensively throughout the Amtrak system outside the western United States...
Club-Dinette (half café-half business class seating)
External links
- Amtrak - Illinois Service (the schedule is linked on the City of New Orleans page)