Comment

Comment by Adam "Cezar" Jenkins on September 16, 2010 at 6:39am

High speed rail means less people driving and flying which is better for our environment. For people with family in St. Louis or who go for work this is a good thing.

Comment by Bob Kastigar on September 16, 2010 at 6:28am

Comment by Cameron Puetz on August 6, 2010 at 11:43am
" The motor coach substitution may mean no bikes for that segment of track, so double check before planning a trip. While it sucks that a good service will be shut down for a while, it’s nice to see a serious commitment to high speed rail. "

Yes, but will the high-speed rail accommodate carry-on bicycles? It's doubtful.

As a slow-moving cyclist, I'm not at all impressed or support high-speed rail. The present rate is fast enough, it's paid for, and doesn't require a huge investment.

Would you want to encourage highways for high-speed automobile traffic as well?

Comment by BalloonBiker on September 16, 2010 at 4:32am

Just saw this on the crazy guy forum and thought it's kind of neat...though a little heavy: http://cgi.ebay.com/B-RV-Bicycle-Cargo-Flatbed-Trailer-Camper-/2506...

Comment by Bob Kastigar on August 6, 2010 at 5:12am

Illinois Lincoln Service Amtrak with carry-on bikes, information from the Illinois DOT about temporary changes in the schedule for construction work being done:

LINCOLN SERVICE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS
Union Pacific Railroad track closure prompts rail service interruption; Alternate
transportation provided south of Springfield
CHICAGO -- Preparations for improvement of Union Pacific Railroad tracks used by
Amtrak south of Springfield will prompt two daily Lincoln Service trains to originate
and terminate in Springfield for ten days, starting tomorrow. Alternate transportation
will be provided to and from points south to St. Louis for Trains 303 & 304 (see
attached notice).
As announced on July 20 by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, construction will begin in early
September on the Chicago to St. Louis high-speed rail route. An agreement between
the Illinois Department of Transportation (Illinois DOT) and Union Pacific (UP)
will allow upgrades to be made on an initial 90-mile segment of Union Pacific track
to prepare it for high-speed rail. The $98 million dollar project is funded through
the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and will support an estimated
900 jobs.
Additional temporary changes in Amtrak service to and from Springfield will be announced
later this month, before the start of track improvements from south of Springfield
to north of Alton. These track upgrades and others north of Springfield will include
the installation of new, high-speed rail and concrete ties. This work is expected
to be complete by year's end.
Illinois DOT has been a partner of Amtrak for nearly 39 years and has made significant
progress on the Chicago-St. Louis Lincoln Service Corridor in cooperation with the
UP, which owns the right-of-way south of Joliet and operates rail freight services
on the line. Extensive rehabilitation of the track and signal systems has been performed
between Springfield and Dwight, but this will be the first major improvement between
Springfield and Alton.
In January, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration
awarded $1.2 billion in ARRA funds for high-speed passenger rail to Illinois - one
of only three states to receive an award of more than $1 billion. Illinois was among
31 states chosen to receive a total of $8 billion that President Obama and Congress
made available for high-speed passenger rail. Illinois DOT estimates federal investment
in high-speed rail is expected to create 6,000 jobs in the state.
Illinois' high-speed rail signature route, Chicago to St. Louis, received $1.1 billion
for corridor improvements. These improvements will allow Amtrak Lincoln Service
trains to operate at speeds up to 110 mph and include: new locomotives and passenger
cars, rebuilding of track, additional highway-rail grade crossing active warning
devices, and implementation of state-of-the-art safety technology.
Amtrak and Illinois DOT will announce forthcoming temporary service changes and
provide reports via the state's Amtrak Illinois website. Passenger Service Notices
will be posted at stations and will be displayed as part of the booking process
on Amtrak.com.


About Amtrak
As the nation's intercity passenger rail operator, Amtrak connects America in safer,
greener healthier ways. Last fiscal year (FY 2009), the railroad carried 27.2 million
passengers, making it the second-best year in the company's history. With 21,000
route miles in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces,
Amtrak operates more than 300 trains each day-at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kph)-to
more than 500 destinations. Amtrak also is the partner of choice for state-supported
corridor services in 15 states and for several commuter rail agencies. Visit Amtrak.com
or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares
and more information.


About Illinois DOT
The Illinois Department of Transportation provides safe, cost-effective transportation
for Illinois in ways that enhance quality of life, promote economic prosperity,
and demonstrate respect for our environment. Illinois DOT provides leadership throughout
Illinois for the improvement and coordination of the state's multi-faceted transportation
system and serves as an advocate and trusted adviser to local governments and other
community agencies involved in providing transportation access and services for
all of Illinois. For more information, visit http://www.dot.il.gov/.
# (Passenger Service Notice Attached) #
Passenger Service Notice Temporary Service Change


Lincoln Service Trains 303 and 304

Effective Aug. 6 - 12 and Aug. 16 - 19
Amtrak Lincoln Service Trains 303 and 304 will not operate between Springfield and
St. Louis due to track work being performed by Union Pacific Railroad on Aug. 6
through 12 and Aug. 16 through 19. Other Amtrak trains on the route will operate
normally.

Train 303

-Train 303, which normally operates from Chicago to St. Louis, will terminate in
Springfield. Alternate transportation will be provided to passengers:
-Passengers at Springfield traveling to St. Louis will be provided express motorcoach
service to allow connections to Missouri River Runner trains.
-Passengers at Springfield traveling to Carlinville and Alton will be provided separate
motorcoach service.
-Passengers scheduled to board Train 303 at Carlinville and Alton will be provided
motorcoach service to St. Louis.


Train 304

-Train 304, which normally operates from St. Louis to Chicago, will originate in
Springfield. Alternate transportation will be provided to passengers:

-Passengers traveling from St. Louis to Springfield and subsequent stops will be
provided express motorcoach service to Springfield, where they will board Train
304. This motorcoach will depart St. Louis at 2:00 p.m., one hour earlier than
the train's normal departure time.


-Passengers traveling from St. Louis to Alton and Carlinville will be provided motorcoach
service. This service will depart St. Louis at 2:00 p.m., one hour earlier than
the train's normal departure time.


-Passengers traveling from Alton and Carlinville will be provided motorcoach service
to Springfield. This service will depart Alton at 2:46 p.m., and Carlinville at
3:15 p.m., one hour earlier than the train's normal departure times.



Thank you for traveling with Amtrak. We appreciate your patronage and apologize
for any inconvenience you may experience. For reservations and information, visit
Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL (800-872-7245).
Amtrak is a registered service mark of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation

Comment by Paul Gurns on July 27, 2010 at 1:54am

Jami, that sounds like fun. I wish I could get the time off work.

Comment by Jeremy Kamp on July 23, 2010 at 4:53am

i second the train museum as a great place to see. was there about 7 years ago.

Comment by BalloonBiker on July 23, 2010 at 3:43am

Actually, I was thinking about going through North Freedom to go and see Forevertron, so I'll see if I can see the train museum as well. Awesome! Thanks! Wisconsin has so much awesome stuff to see!

Comment by Liz on July 23, 2010 at 3:27am

In Baraboo there's an awesome bakery, and Jen's Alpine cafe has some good food!
http://www.elitebakery.info/
http://tinyurl.com/38dqxs4

Also if its in your path, North Freedom has a really train museum and you can take a leasurly ride!

http://www.midcontinent.org/ride/ride.html

Comment by BalloonBiker on July 21, 2010 at 5:17am

So, I decided on my route and general itinerary for my August tour. Since it's going to be hot and hillier than I'm used to, I'm going to take it generally easy and just do 30-60 miles on the bike a day.

The theme is going to be Weird Wisconsin and I'm going to try to visit some weird taxidermy in Madison, a mustard museum, the Circus Museum, the House on the Rock, the Wisconsin Dells and as many breweries as I can find.

If you are only interested in doing Monday-Friday, that could work as I'll be leaving Madison on a monday and there is a bus that goes right to Madison.

If you're interested, we'd have to meet up ahead of time and make sure we'd be a compatible touring match.

Comment by Glenn on June 15, 2010 at 12:05pm

Hey Tomas, I just so happen to be in that same boat. Where do you want to go? Where at in WI do you want to go?
:-)

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