Photo by News Bulletin staff.

SPRINGFIELD —Illinois has received over a billion dollars in federal funding for the development of a high-speed railway, already under construction.

Recently, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Missouri were awarded $336.2 million from the United States Department of Transportation for the purchase seven high-speed locomotives and 48 bi-level, high-speed rail cars that will travel throughout intercity passenger corridors located in the four Midwestern states.
Illinois will purchase an additional 12 high-speed locomotives and 30 bi-level, high-speed cars, utilizing $222.1 million in funds that were distributed through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in December 2010 and $11.8 million in matching funds.
The high-speed trains will be designed to travel “safely and comfortable” at speeds of more than 110 mph and meet the standards established through the Next Generation Corridor Equipment Pool Committee, consisting of representatives of Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration, host freight railroad companies, passenger railroad equipment manufactures, interested States and other passenger railroad operators.
“They are the first cars to be procured using the Next Generation Equipment Committee specifications developed as part of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008,” said Illinois Department of Transportation Spokesman Josh Kauffman. “These specifications incorporate industry best practices in all aspects of the car design.”
According to Kauffman, the high-speed passenger trains will differ from the Amtrak passenger trains that currently operate on railways.
“Passengers will benefit from more space between seats, as well as on-board Wi-Fi and business class related enhancements,” said Kauffman. “The cars will include LED lighting, which is more energy efficient and has a longer service life.
“Improved, on-board communications will be another feature of the new cars. The cars will be more environmentally friendly in terms of their HVAC systems and other on-board equipment.”
Illinois expects the high-speed rail passenger trains to arrive in late 2014 when a high-speed railway corridor from E. St. Louis to Dwight is completed, said Kauffman.
The high-speed railway corridor will eventually connect St. Louis to Chicago. It will travel through Alton, Carlinville, Springfield, Lincoln, Normal, Pontiac and Joliet. IDOT expects the section of the high-speed railway corridor from Dwight to Joliet to be complete in late 2015.
Construction of the high-speed railway corridor began in late 2010.
IDOT is also working with the University of Illinois’s Rail Engineering Program to study the feasibility of potential future development of a high-speed rail service that would provide a 220-mph passenger service between O’Hare Airport, downtown Chicago, the McCormick Place convention center and Champaign-Urbana, with potential extensions to Indianapolis and/or St. Louis. The study is being financed through a $1.25 million contribution from the Illinois Jobs Now! capital program.
“The feasibility study is expected to be complete in late 2012, and will analyze how best to connect any potential very high speed service to the 110-mph corridor, now under construction,” said Kauffman.
“Illinois is leading the nation with our work to expand high-speed and passenger rail,” said Illinois Governor Pat Quinn in a news release. “This study will provide greater insight into how we can make 220-mph rail service a reality. An expanded and improved rail network will boost our position in the global economy and create thousands of jobs.”