Black Hawk (Amtrak train)
| Black Hawk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Overview | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Inter-city rail | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| System | Amtrak | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Closed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini | Chicago, Illinois Dubuque, Iowa |
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| Operation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 1974 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Closed | 1981 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Illinois Central Railroad (track) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator(s) | Amtrak | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line length | 182 miles (293 km) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Black Hawk was an Amtrak route from Chicago, Illinois, to Dubuque, Iowa, using Budd Company rail diesel cars between 1974 and approximately 1978 when the RDCs were replaced with Amfleet equipment using EMD F40PH diesel locomotives. In addition to the RDC's and the Amfleet equipment, the Blackhawk featured just about every variety of equipment Amtrak owned at the time. At various times the Blackhawk featured ex-CNW Gallery cars, dome cars, bow tailed observation cars, full diners, lunch counter diners and ex-ATSF HiLevel Coaches. Further, power for the Blackhawk also varied on a regular basis with P30CH's, SDP40F's, E-Units, F40PH's and the occasional ICG "Geep" filling in for ailing power. Service ended in 1981, a victim of budget cuts under the Reagan administration.[1]
Several Rockford based groups sponsored special charter trips to Chicago events such as Bears, Cubs and Sox games as well as performances of "The Ice Capades" on the Blackhawk. On these trips, the consists could swell to as many as seven to 10 cars. During the RDC days, the usual consist consisted of three RDC's. During the mid to late 70's the consist usually included 3 cars, including a food service car of one type or another. During a good part of the summer of 1977, the Blackhawk ran with a full dining car and dome coaches.
The route used the former Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad route (then part of the Illinois Central Railroad) between Chicago's Union Station and Bridgeport and the Freeport Subdivision west of Bridgeport.[2]
Amtrak, at the state of Illinois' request, did a recent feasibility study to reinstate the Black Hawk route to Rockford and Dubuque. Initial capital costs range from $32 million to $55 million, depending on the route. Once in operation, the service would require roughly $5 million a year in subsidies from the state.[3] On December 10, 2010, IDOT announced the route choice for the resumption of service to begin in 2014 going over mostly CN railway.[4]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Solomon (2004), 56, 152.
- ^ Solomon (2004), 44.
- ^ "Amtrak-Illinois dot feasibility study determines most direct route best for service to Rockford, northwestern Illinois and Dubuque, Iowa". Amtrak. May 16, 2007. http://www.returnthetrain.com/files/ATK_07_057_Rockford_route_decision_1_.pdf. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
- ^ "Amtrak Black Hawk Service Restoration Status Updates". April 7, 2011. http://members.trainorders.com/dr04/BlackHawk. Retrieved 2011-04-07.
[edit] References
- Solomon, Brian (2004). Amtrak. MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 0760317658. http://books.google.com/books?id=313LC1TljQMC.
[edit] External links
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