Illinois High-Speed Rail
From Transit Tangents · 25:45
Show by Louis & Chris
A two-hour train ride from Chicago to St. Louis should sound normal. In the United States, it still sounds like science fiction, yet Illinois is quietly laying the groundwork for exactly that: a 220 mph high-speed rail corridor that could turn a 4 hour 45 minute Amtrak trip and a 5.5 hour drive into a fast, frequent rail connection between two major Midwest metros.We dig into why Illinois is a uniquely strong candidate for true high-speed rail. Chicago is already the nation’s rail crossroads, with long-distance Amtrak routes funneling through the city, strong state-supported corridors, and everyday rail usage via Metra and the Chicago L. That existing rail culture matters, because high-speed rail is not just about speed, it’s about making trains the default choice for regional travel and building on a network people already use.If you care about Midwest transportation, U.S. infrastructure, or the future of passenger rail, this one is for you. Subscribe for more deep dives, share the episode with a friend who loves trains (or hates traffic), and leave a review so more people can find the show.Send us Fan MailSupport the show
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