October 4, 2006

SPRINGFIELD (Oct. 4)–IDOT officials have released the timetables for three special Amtrak trains that will allow elected officials and media to “preview” the additional passenger-rail services that will begin serving their communities Oct. 30.

The IDOT “Preview Train” will operate from Carbondale to Chicago Oct. 17, from Chicago to St. Louis Oct. 18 and from Chicago to Quincy Oct. 19.

Although only invited guests from government, the media, the rail unions and rail-advocacy groups will be allowed on board the Preview runs, UTU Illinois Legislative Director Joseph C. Szabo urged all UTU members who live or work along the routes of the trains to be on hand at their respective local depots to greet the train when it stops.

“The arrival of the Preview train is going to be a big event in most of these Downstate communities, and the media will be there to record the arrival of the train and to get comment from the local people on what IDOT’s passenger-rail buildup is going to mean to them,” Szabo said. “Our members can be an important part of those celebrations.”

Szabo said that in addition to the satisfaction of having more passenger trains serving their communities, UTU members can take pride in knowing their union was one of the driving forces in persuading state legislators and Gov. Blagojevich to fund the four new frequencies.

Timetables for the Preview trains are as follows:

Oct. 17–Carbondale-Chicago:

Carbondale…………………….9:00 a.m.
Du Quoin………………………9:21 ”
Centralia……………………..9:53 ”
Effingham……………………..10:37 ”
Mattoon……………………….11:01 ”
Champaign……………………..11:56 ”
Rantoul……………………….12:09 p.m.
Gilman………………………..12.35 ”
Kankakee………………………12:57 ”
Homewood………………………1:26 ”
Chicago……………………….2:40 ”

Oct. 18–Chicago-St. Louis:

Chicago………………………..9.00 a.m.
Summit…………………………9:22 ”
Joliet…………………………9:50 ”
Dwight…………………………10:24 ”
Pontiac………………………..10:41 ”
Bloomington-Normal………………11:26 ”
Lincoln………………………..11:59 ”
Springfield…………………….12:48 p.m.
Carlinville…………………….1:28 ”
Alton………………………….1:59 ”
St. Louis………………………2:55 ”

Oct. 19–Chicago-Quincy:

Chicago………………………..9:00 a.m.
LaGrange Road…………………..9:19 ”
Naperville……………………..9:35 ”
Plano………………………….9:58 ”
Mendota………………………..10:25 ”
Princeton………………………10:45 ”
Kewanee………………………..11:12 ”
Galesburg………………………11:56 ”
Macomb…………………………12:42 p.m.
Quincy…………………………1:50 “