Hoosier State (train)
| Hoosier State | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 The Hoosier State northbound in Indiana in 2011. |
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| Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service type | Inter-city rail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First service | 1 October 1980 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current operator(s) | Amtrak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average ridership | 119 per train 37,249 total (FY11)[1] |
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| Route | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Start | Chicago | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stops | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| End | Indianapolis | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance travelled | 196 miles (315 km) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service frequency | Quad-weekly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Train number(s) | 850/851 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track owner(s) | CSXT, CN, UP, Metra | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Hoosier State is a passenger train that provides service on a 196-mile (315 km) route from Chicago to Indianapolis. It runs on the four days each week that the Cardinal does not run (departs Chicago Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; departs Indianapolis Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday). This gives the Chicago-to-Indianapolis market daily rail service.
During fiscal year (FY) 2011, the Hoosier State carried approximately 37,000 passengers, a 10.9% increase over FY2010. During FY2011, the train had a total revenue of $836,057, an increase of 5% over FY2010.[1]
Contents |
History[edit]
Prior to Amtrak, the Chicago-Indianapolis market was served by several daily trains, with the Pennsylvania Railroad's South Wind and Kentuckian, and the New York Central's James Whitcomb Riley, Indianapolis Special, and Sycamore. With the advent of Amtrak, riders between the Hoosier State's capital and the Windy City still had Amtrak's South Wind and the George Washington/James Whitcomb Riley.[2] However, with Penn Central's financial instability, track maintenance was rare, and Amtrak eventually shifted both trains to other routes through Indiana, and Indianapolis was only served by the National Limited, which ran between New York and Kansas City.
The National Limited's discontinuance in 1979 severed Indianapolis from the national rail network. This was a major issue for Amtrak, as its main maintenance shops were in Beech Grove, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis. Amtrak had been using the National Limited to ferry railroad cars to and from its shops; it was forced to run special trains to Indianapolis instead.[2]
The Hoosier State train began October 1, 1980, running over a different route from the Cardinal. On April 27, 1986, the Cardinal was rerouted to use the same tracks as the Hoosier State from Chicago to Indianapolis, and the Hoosier State began running only on the days the Cardinal did not operate. On October 25, 1987, the Hoosier State was restored to daily operation on a separate schedule from the Cardinal.[3]:215 Funding cuts led to the discontinuance of the Hoosier State on September 8, 1995—the Cardinal continued tri-weekly operation between Chicago, Indianapolis and the East Coast. Amtrak restored the Hoosier State on July 19, 1998, as a tri-, later quad-weekly train.[3]:220
From December 17, 1999, to July 4, 2003, the Hoosier State was extended south from Indianapolis to Louisville, Kentucky, and renamed the Kentucky Cardinal. After the discontinuance of the Kentucky Cardinal the Hoosier State returned to operating four days a week in tandem with the Cardinal.
Potential discontinuance[edit]
Beginning on October 1, 2013, the state of Indiana is responsible for funding the operating cost for the Hoosier State. If nothing changes, Amtrak will be required by federal law to permanently cancel the Hoosier State on October 1, 2013. This would leave Chicago to Indianapolis with three-times-per-week train service.
As of May, 2013, it has been reported that the Indiana legislature has handed over responsibility of the train to the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT). This will include future funding of the train as well as decisions made in regard to its operation. A potential effect of this may be cutting the train back to its stop at Lafayette, Indiana from Indianapolis. Lafayette is the busiest stop on the route due to its proximity to Purdue University and generates more ridership than at Indianapolis. INDOT could also decide to stop funding the train, thereby discontinuing it and leaving the route with the thrice weekly Cardinal as its only service.
Route details[edit]
The Hoosier State operates over Amtrak, CSX Transportation, Canadian National Railway, Union Pacific Railroad, and Metra trackage:
- CSX Cincinnati Terminal Subdivision, Indianapolis Subdivision, Indianapolis Terminal Subdivision, Crawfordsville Branch Subdivision, Lafayette Subdivision, and Monon Subdivision, Indianapolis to Munster
- CN Elsdon Subdivision, Munster to Thornton
- UP Villa Grove Subdivision, Thornton to 81st Street
- Metra SouthWest Service, 81st Street to Chicago
Train consist[edit]
The Hoosier State generally operates with two coaches, generally Horizon equipment, but occasionally supplemented by Amfleet cars. Power is a General Electric Genesis P42DC locomotive. There are no food-service cars because the train offers only coach-class service.[4][5] However, the train often carries cars to and from Amtrak's repair facility at Beech Grove.
Station stops[edit]
| State/Province | Town/City | Station | Connections |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana[6] | Indianapolis | Indianapolis | Amtrak: Thruway Motorcoach to Champaign, Illinois, Danville, Illinois, Davenport, Iowa, Galesburg, Illinois, Greater Peoria Regional Airport in Peoria, Illinois, Louisville, Kentucky, Moline, Illinois, and Normal, Illinois |
| Crawfordsville | Crawfordsville | none | |
| Lafayette | Lafayette | Greyhound CityBus: 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3B, 4A, 4B, 6A, 6B, 7 |
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| Rensselaer | Rensselaer | none | |
| Dyer | Dyer | none | |
| Illinois[6] | Chicago | Chicago Union Station | Amtrak: Blue Water, California Zephyr, Capitol Limited, Carl Sandburg, City of New Orleans, Empire Builder, Hiawatha, Illini, Illinois Zephyr, Lake Shore Limited, Lincoln Service, Pere Marquette, Saluki, Southwest Chief, Texas Eagle, Wolverine, Thruway Motorcoach to Louisville, Kentucky, Madison, Wisconsin and Rockford, Illinois CTA: 14, 19, 20, X20, 38, 56, 60, 120, 122, 124, 127, 129, 157 Metra: BNSF Railway, HC, MD-N, MD-W, NCS, SWS |
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Amtrak Ridership Rolls Up Best-Ever Records" (PDF). Amtrak. 13 October 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
- ^ a b Schafer, Mike (1991). All Aboard Amtrak. Piscataway, NJ: Railpace Publishing.
- ^ a b Sanders, Craig (2006). Amtrak in the Heartland. Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-34705-X.
- ^ "HOOSIER STATE". TrainWeb. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
- ^ "Cardinal / Hoosier State". Amtrak. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
- ^ a b Cardinal and Hoosier State; New York and Chicago route Schedule; 2008
External links[edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hoosier State (train) |
- "Cardinal / Hoosier State". Amtrak. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
