Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Amtrak have received approval from federal authorities to run ten daily trains between St. Louis and Chicago faster. The speed will increase by 30 km/h to almost 180 km/h, mainly between Amtrak stations in Alton and Joliet.
Trains running on Union Pacific tracks include the Lincoln Service (Chicago Quincy / St. Louis / Carbondale), under the contract with IDOT, and the cross-country Texas Eagle (Chicago - St. Louis - Dallas - San Antonio - Los Angeles).
The new maximum speed on this line is also the maximum speed of Amtrak’s GE Genesis (P42DC) locomotives. In contrast, the newly-delivered Siemens Charger locomotives will be able to reach a speed of 200 km/h.
IDOT has, in conjunction with its counterparts in California, Michigan, Missouri and Washington, ordered 33 Siemens Charger locomotives (SC-44) for Amtrak Midwest in 2015. Twelve of these locomotives will be dedicated to the Lincoln Service. In November 2017, 88 Siemens Venture coaches were added to the order. They will be used in the Midwest states of Illinois, Michigan and Missouri.
