The City of Quincy has lost 10 years of downtown visitors and 10 years is too long. A downtown train station is needed and should be a priority in future planning.
Last week Amtrak took advantage of the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse to promote their trains from Chicago to Quincy and Southern Illinois to view the spectacle. It was a good marketing tool for Amtrak to exploit. Those who took Amtrak on the Carl Sandburg from the Windy City to Quincy were greeted by a shuttle vehicle which picked them up at no charge and transported them to the Quincy Riverfront for
As the continued budget crisis for the State of Illinois continues to drag on, the concerns of many state agencies grows. How much longer can they continue to operate without the state funding needed? That concern has been hanging over the heads of all of the cities along the state supported Amtrak routes in Illinois especially the two routes serving Quincy daily.
It has been over a year ago when the Quincy Herald Whig, in their Five on Five feature, asked the question “Is Amtrak Passenger Rail Service Between Hannibal and Quincy a Good Idea?” The consensus over a year ago was that it is a good idea. I agreed then and I still agree now. Last year a group in Hannibal was looking into the feasibility of developing passenger rail service from Hannibal to Quinc
Amtrak travelers between Chicago and Quincy will now be allowed to take small cats and dogs with them for $25 in the first test in the nation of what could become a system wide pets-on-board Amtrak policy. The Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg trains will be the first Amtrak testing grounds for the service.
I was reading my Sunday edition of the Quincy Herald Whig when I came across an insert for National Train Day which is Saturday, May 11. The insert was apparently provided and paid for by the Henry County, Illinois Tourism Bureau, The City of Kewanee, Illinois, and the Kewanee Chamber of Commerce and Illinois Mile after Magnificent Mile.
Today marks the anniversary of the beginning of train service in this country known as Amtrak. Amtrak's passenger railroad operations began on this date in 1971. Next week we will be starting a promotion on Y101 to give away a round trip for two to Chicago from Quincy aboard either the Illinois Zephyr ot the Carl Sandburg.