Ex-Rock Island Rocket Route Studied For Rail Passenger Service

Traversing the route of the Peoria Rocket, an Iowa Interstate Business Car Special to South Amana, Iowa began its journey in downtown Peoria on August 18, 2021 

Another study, different route.

The Illinois Department of Transportation is studying rail passenger service between Peoria and Chicago. On Tuesday, it revealed that the former Rock Island Rocket route was being considered. 

Compared to the previous feasibility study on rail passenger service to Peoria, this one gets two things correct: (1) single-train service between Peoria and Chicago and (2) a route that serves more population that is presently lacking such service. But all else is a nostalgic dream at best and costly boondoggle at worst. 

HISTORY
The Rock Island's Peoria & Bureau Valley, which became the city's first operational railroad on November 7, 1854, inaugurated twice-daily, diesel, streamlined Peoria Rocket service on September 19, 1937. A General Motors-built Jet Rocket trainset provided service from February 11, 1956 but poor operational performance led the railroad to revert to conventional equipment from August 20, 1957. 

It can be argued that mail contracts, popularity with Chicago-bound shoppers and even lingering business travel (including those making air connections via bus or taxi at Midway Airport) kept the Rockets profitable through the 1950s. Changes came in the early 1960s when Ozark Air Lines introduced modern, F-27 turboprops in early 1960, and commercial air travel grew in popularity and safety. Then all remaining service to Midway Airport shifted to Chicago-O'Hare in 1962. These events eliminated important markets for the Rockets.

When the Post Office Department pulled mail sorting contracts from the Rockets in May 1967, the railroad sought to cut service in half. A new depot at Morton Street, smaller but less convenient for those with downtown business or leisure, opened that September. The railroad dropped one pair of trains on August 6, 1968. 

AMTRAK ERA
The Rock Island was one of six carriers which did not join Amtrak and thus was required to operate intercity services which existed as of May 1, 1971. These carriers could petition to join Amtrak in July 1973. If they did not choose this option, they had to wait until January 1, 1975 to file train-off petitions with regulators. The Illinois Department of Transportation provided subsidies for the Rockets (Rock Island also operated a Quad City Rocket) from July 1, 1973. The Rock Island entered Chapter 77 Bankruptcy Protection on March 17, 1975 and began the train-off process in July 1976. 

By this time, IDOT requested Amtrak replace the troubled Rock Island's rapidly deteriorating service. The carrier agreed in 1977 to serve the Peoria area, studying various routes before settling on one between Chicago and East Peoria, via Chenoa, in 1979. The Rockets made their final runs on December 31, 1978. Service via the Prairie Marksman began August 10, 1980 using a small station just west of the Toledo, Peoria & Western's East Peoria Yard. Trains operated over the TP&W to Chenoa, and on an existing route along the Illinois Central Gulf to Chicago. Public perception fueled by negative media coverage kept ridership low and the experiment ended October 4, 1981. 

The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway's Chicago-Kansas City "Air Line" traversed the northern fringes of Peoria County, serving Chillicothe. Amtrak assumed operation of two pair of trains - the Chicago-Los Angeles Super Chief-El Capitan and the Chicago-Houston Texas Chief. Re-branded Southwest Limited and Lone Star, respectively, in 1974, these trains provided some semblance of service to Peorians willing to drive to and from Chillicothe. The Lone Star was a victim of budget cuts in 1979 but the other train (which became the Southwest Chief in 1984) continued to make regular stops at Chillicothe through July 1996. After that, the train was re-routed through Galesburg and east of there to consolidate station stops made possible through the opening of BNSF Railway's Cameron Connection.  

Peorians and visitors to our area long ago figured out other ways of getting to or from Chicago. Some take the bus or plane, but the vast majority use their own automobile. So any feasibility study must take into account whether there is a true need for rail passenger service, and the large sums which will be required to implement such service will offer at least a commensurate benefit the area. 

 - David P. Jordan

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