Passenger Trains > Normal IL gets $13 million federal grant for railroad underpass

https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/normal-gets-million-federal-grant-for-uptown-railroad-underpass/article_7ce728cf-0d70-5475-8300-3f0e6b7a703a.html

"The long-delayed underground connector from Uptown Station to points south of Union Pacific's tracks there will get a $13 million federal grant, officials announced Wednesday"

This underpass will go almost right under the station platforms and connect the two platforms and waiting areas on either side of the tracks.  A cynic would point out it will also connect the ISU campus and downtown area with the mayor's bicycle shop and running store on the south side of the tracks, and would also point out there there are pedistrian grade crossings a few hundred feet away from the underpass in both directions.

I have to get Normal credit, they have used "High Speed Rail" to get what is now close to $50,000,000 from the Federal Government to develop their downtown area.

Sounds to be like you are very jealous of the town of Normal, Illinois.

I just think there are better ways to spend $20,000,000.  Over $2,000,000,000 of federal and state taxpayer money has been spent on high speed rail in Illinois over the last 10 years, and today the  same passenger cars go the same speed on the same train schedule as 2008.

Sounds like a reasonable grade separation project.  They aren't free.
Compared to trillions in wars and bank bailouts, it's a cheap way to hopefully save some lives.

Sounds great.  All improvements are welcome.  But, things move so slow - ahead lies 1 1/2 years of more studies and another year for construction,

The Chicago-St.Louis route now has a lot of beautiful new stations (Alton, Carlinville, Bloomington/Normal, and Joliet)
Trains have new Diesels, and new coaches are being built.
Tracks have been upgraded to 110 (although speeds have not been increased yet).  Hopefully soon,

When the new cars arrive, and running time is reduced, this should be a very successful route.

I'm happy.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/19 06:45 by ronald321.

If the town of Normal did not get the funds, the money would go to something else.  Nice going Normal, Illinois !!!

There can be riots in Chicago, floods in Peoria and mayhem in East St. Louis, but Bloomington will always be near Normal.

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Normal is very good at playing the system. They got a nice new city hall building under the guise of a new train station.

We will have to wait and see if they will ever get funding for an under/overpass so they can use both tracks at their fancy new city hall, er, train station. UP won't allow passengers to cross the track at grade so they can only work one train at a time in the station which results in time consuming backup / crossover moves if 2 trains arriave at the same time.

Folks, this is nothing more then the local congresscritter doing their job. Get stuff for the folks back in the district!
Some are better at this game then others.

Not sure where you have been the last couple of years, but they have been using both tracks as late as today, Thursday 11/7/19.  #22 was on track one and #303 came in on track two.  These operations are controled by the railroad and the town of Normal has not one thing to due with it.

trainnut7 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not sure where you have been the last couple of
> years, but they have been using both tracks as
> late as today, Thursday 11/7/19.  #22 was on
> track one and #303 came in on track two.  These
> operations are controled by the railroad and the
> town of Normal has not one thing to due with it.

You are correct. Normal built a new station and then UP said we won't allow pedestrians to cross an active main track at grade.So did UP change their mind and allow a pedestrian crossing? Or did they build and under/overpass? 

Or is this just an assumption being made that just because there are 2 tracks both can be used for station work?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/08/19 07:43 by DevalDragon.

They are using the Broadway street grade crossing at the end of the station platforms to connect the two platforms.  Use of the south platform is faily rare (I would say once a week, but someone who is closer to the station may know better).  My experience is the northbound trains always board on the north track next to the station, but southbound trains arriving at about the same time will use the south track.

One of the main touted benefits of the underpass would be to allow easier access to the two platforms, although depending on which design they use, crossing at Broadway will still be easier and quicker then going down a ramp, under the tracks, and back up a ramp or stairs.

There are two stations.  The older one on the South side of the tracks built sometime in the early 80's.  This is the main track, track #2 as it is called.  Then the newer station/city hall, built about four years ago, its on the North side of the tracks.  It is next to track two which is a very long siding.  The active ticket agents work out of the new station.