RUNNING HIGH SPEED PASSENGER TRAINS ON FREIGHT RAILROAD TRACKS OR "YOU WANT TO DO WHAT?"

Two principal factors have limited the growth of high speed intercity rail passenger service in the United States: (1) the lack of federal funds for implementation, and (2) the fact that the benefits of providing the service cannot justify the costs privately. There will be no significant federal aid of major private investment until there is a larger market demand which will not happen until there is a better product that provides faster, better, and more reliable service. The solution requires development of a lower-cost option, using limited Amtrak and State government funding to improve the existing intercity rail service enough to produce the riders and revenue needed to make even more advances. The Illinois Department of Transportation is providing $82 million and leveraging $68 million in private and federal funds to upgrade 120 miles of the 280-mile Chicago to St. Louis corridor. Use of existing rail capacity and sharing the track among freight trains, conventional passenger trains and new high speed trains will reduce costs enough to allow for early implementation. Gaining the cooperation of the host freight railroad is key in this solution and the thought of running trains at 110 mph on freight tracks may be intimidating to some. Illinois is make successful progress and this paper will present how.