Western Railroad Discussion > Joint Trackage Wann-Wood River, IL

Both tracks used to be GM&O.  After UP took the Joliet-E St. Louis route over, KCS subsidiary Gateway Easten somehow wound up with TK 2 (the east of the two tracks) between Wann and WR Tower, and TK 1 remained with UP.  How is it that that track wound up with GEWR rather than staying with UP?  The reason why this is an issue today is that both tracks are current-of-traffic Rule 251 and northbound Amtrak trains are restricted to 30 MPH for 17 miles on TK 2.  I can see why KCS would not have an incentive to upgrade the track to 79 MPH (to match adjacent TK 1), but how did KCS./GEWR get control of the track in the first place?
Fortunately IL has a plan to upgrade the track to 79 MPH, but the government money would not have been necessary if control had remained with UP.
Andy

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,4519374,4519772#msg-4519772

Page 3

"Between Wann and Bridge Jct.
PC and GM&O tracks are operated as double track"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/19 15:16 by Englewood.

State of Illinois should buy both sets of tracks from Alton to Relay Jct. in East St. Louis.   It is obvious that the freight railroads do not care at all about Amtrak and any sort of disciplined operation.  If the State controlled it and they were the dispatcher, then swift on-time operation could happen, instead of pathetic 30 mph, with three railroads involved.  

This ridiculous track speed situation has existed  for many decades - as far back as the 1970's

This situation, for me, has always shown the stupidity of railroad management (and Amtrak also) to permit one main track 79mph - and the other main track right next to it 30mph.

Of course, I realize Amtrak couldn't do anything about it over the years because of their starvation budgets,  

But now, things are different,  Illinois got Billions to upgrade this corridor - and Amtrak has better budgets - and this route has growing ridership;.
Yet, no one can figure out how to upgrade this ARROW STRAIGHT track to 79 from 30mph.

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/19 06:00 by ronald321.

Rantoul:

I'm afraid this is not correct.

It is not an "industrial side track" by any means.  There is no industry located directly on it.  It is a true mainline of the same type and stature as the
79mph southbound line.  It has simply been downgraded to 30mph,

It seems to me that a relatively economical solution would be to reverse signal the 79mph (or 90mph after upgrade), the SB main, and forget about the NB track.
(Illinois got $2 Billion to upgrade the route, after alll).