Announcing Amtrak's SALUKI

GOVERNOR BLAGOJEVICH ANNOUNCES AMTRAK SALUKI TO START RUNNING OCTOBER 30th

The following news release was issued today by the State of Illinois and Amtrak Media Relations.

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION

525 West Van Buren Street, Suite 222, Chicago IL 60607-3823

tel 312 880.5390 fax 312 880.5176 [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 25, 2006 ATK-06-071

Building on momentum of record passenger growth, additional Carbondale to Chicago passenger train added; Tickets for Saluki on sale today at http://www.amtrak.com/ or 800-USA-RAIL

CARBONDALE, Ill - Governor Rod R. Blagojevich announced today that beginning October 30th Illinois' partnership with Amtrak will more than double state-sponsored passenger rail service downstate. State-supported roundtrips will increase from three daily roundtrips to seven daily roundtrips between Chicago and downstate destinations - including the Saluki, the new Chicago-Carbondale train.

The expanded service comes after news that all state-sponsored Amtrak routes posted record ridership levels for Illinois' Fiscal Year 2006; the expansion includes an additional round-trip on the Chicago-Carbondale line. Tickets for the new routes go on sale today.

"Amtrak is an affordable travel option, and in many communities it's the only form of public transportation," said Gov. Blagojevich. "People want and use Amtrak; that's why we doubled our commitment to ensuring we have regular passenger rail service. During the past several years we've continued to see an increase in the people riding the Illinois state-sponsored trains."

Starting October 30, daily train service between Chicago and Carbondale will increase from two round-trips to three round-trips, two of them state-sponsored. Under this schedule, there will be new morning departures from Chicago and Carbondale.

"We are proud that ridership on state-supported Amtrak trains in Illinois is now nearly a million passengers and growing," said Alex Kummant, Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer. "We deeply appreciate the leadership of Gov. Blagojevich and the state legislature in continuing the strong partnership with Amtrak to provide more frequent service for the people of Illinois."

This spring, Gov. Blagojevich and the Illinois General Assembly increased state funding for passenger rail service by Amtrak from $12.1 million to $24 million.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), which is the partnering agency with Amtrak, has chosen the Saluki as the name of the new Chicago-Carbondale train. The Illini will continue to operate on its current schedule on the route. Combined with the City of New Orleans, another train that is part of the national Amtrak network, three daily round-trips will be available between Chicago and Carbondale.

Reservations and tickets for the Saluki (Trains 390 & 391) and Illini (Trains 392 & 393) are now available nationwide through Amtrak.com, by calling 800-USA-RAIL, using Quik-Trak, automated ticket machines, visiting a staffed Amtrak station, or through select travel agents.

These state-supported trains will operate as reserved service, with the lowest fares ordinarily available with the most advanced purchase, and offer food and beverages in the café car. Ten-ride tickets will also be available, as will Business class in a two-seats/aisle/one-seat configuration with leg rests, foot rests and other amenities for a slight surcharge.

IDOT and Amtrak will soon announce schedules for increased service on the two other state-sponsored corridors, Chicago-St. Louis and Chicago-Quincy. Daily train service between Chicago and St. Louis will increase from three roundtrips to five roundtrips, three of them state-sponsored. Daily train service between Chicago and Quincy will increase from one round-trip to two round-trips, both of those state-sponsored as well.

(schedules follow)

Chicago-Carbondale - Southbound Departures

* indicates IDOT supported Saluki train, ** indicates IDOT supported Illini

train

Train Train Train

391* 393** 59

Chicago 9:15 a.m. 4:05 p.m. 8:00 p.m.

Homewood 9:56 a.m. 4:46 p.m. 8:54 p.m.

Kankakee 10:22 a.m. 5:12 p.m. 9:23 p.m.

Gilman 10:44 a.m. 5:34 p.m. ?

Rantoul 11:10 a.m. 6:00 p.m. ?

Champaign 11:25 a.m. 6:15 p.m. 10:34 p.m.

Mattoon 12:05 p.m. 6:55 p.m. 11:13 p.m.

Effingham 12:29 p.m. 7:19 p.m. 11:37 p.m.

Centralia 1:16 p.m. 8:06 p.m. 12:25 a.m.

DuQuoin 1:49 p.m. 8:39 p.m. ?

arrive Carbondale 2:45 p.m. 9:35 p.m. 1:21 a.m.

Carbondale-Chicago - Northbound Departures

* indicates IDOT supported Saluki train, ** indicates IDOT supported Illini

train

Train Train Train

58 390* 392**

Carbondale 3:16 a.m. 7:30 a.m. 4:05 p.m.

DuQuoin ? 7:51 a.m. 4:26 p.m.

Centralia 4:10 a.m. 8:23 a.m. 4:58 a.m.

Effingham 4:57 a.m. 9:07 a.m. 5:42 p.m.

Mattoon 5:23 a.m. 9:31 a.m. 6:06 p.m.

Champaign 6:10 a.m. 10:14 a.m. 6:49 p.m.

Rantoul ? 10:27 a.m. 7:02 p.m.

Gilman ? 10:53 a.m. 7:28 p.m.

Kankakee 7:13 a.m. 11:15 a.m. 7:50 p.m.

Homewood 7:44 a.m. 11:44 a.m. 8:17 p.m.

arrive Chicago 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. 9:35 p.m.

# # #

This is great news for Illinois and Amtrak!

I'm beginning to get the itch to ride some trains and add some points to my AGR card!

For those who wish to broaden their trivia knowledge & impress their friends who ask, "What the heck does 'Saluki' mean?", it's the nickname of the athletic teams at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

Much more at http://www.siuc.edu/aboutsiuc/saluki.html

and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saluki

Where would they get the equipment to run these trains from?

Now, if we can just get 391, 392 extended to Memphis so we have a Memphis to Chicago day train. There should be a real demand there.

frj1983 said:

This is great news for Illinois and Amtrak!
I'm beginning to get the itch to ride some trains and add some points to my AGR card!

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Me too. I was gonna catch that inaugural run until I saw it was a Monday. I have to work. But maybe that following Saturday I will be out on the rails. I plan to do Quincy and St. Louis too. I think there is a double rewards point bonus to sign up for too.

Guest said:

Where would they get the equipment to run these trains from?

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They shouldn't need more equipment for the Saluki since two trains are already needed for the old service. The trains will run a round trip now instead of just one way.

I agree a day train from Memphis would be great. I'm a student at Ole Miss I use the train to head north to be with my family on the holidays. I just wish Amtrak could still use the old tracks with a stop in Batesville so I didn't have to drive the extra 40 minutes to Memphis.

Superliner Diner said:

GOVERNOR BLAGOJEVICH ANNOUNCES AMTRAK SALUKI TO START RUNNING OCTOBER 30th

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Given his background - I expect Milorad "Ron" Blagojevic to be pretty much pro-rail, is he?

Illini said:

Guest said:

Where would they get the equipment to run these trains from?

Click to expand...

They shouldn't need more equipment for the Saluki since two trains are already needed for the old service. The trains will run a round trip now instead of just one way.

I agree a day train from Memphis would be great. I'm a student at Ole Miss I use the train to head north to be with my family on the holidays. I just wish Amtrak could still use the old tracks with a stop in Batesville so I didn't have to drive the extra 40 minutes to Memphis.

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Well I don't know that is true. At the present time the Illini interchanges equipment with the Ann Rutledge and other Midwest trains, it's not captive just to the Illini. Also with possible delays, cleaning necessities, the need to wye, and other challenges I'd be very surprised if they try to add this round trip without bringing another trainset online, especially with other services starting up as well.

Currently both the northbound and southbound Illini trains are scheduled to depart their initial terminals at the same time. One trainset departs CHI at 4:35 pm, arrives in Carbondale, and leaves the next afternoon at 4:35 pm to return to Chicago. Therefore, the current setup is extremely inefficient for equipment utilization, with each train spending an excessive amount of time on layover in Carbondale.

With the new schedule, one train could operate Chicago-Carbondale-Chicago in a day. I don't think there would be a need to wye the train, as I believe I read somewhere that they plan to run with either a cabbage or two engines in order to facilitate quicker turns.

As for the equipment rotation in Chicago, I'm not sure how that would work, but I figure with all the other service into and out of Chicago, they could probably squeeze an extra trip out of something in order to reduce the equipment requirements.