Thought you all might be interested in reading about Amtrak's 'other'
Zephyr.
Regards,
John Lewis
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24 February 2001
By Kevin Woodward
Quincy Illinois Herald-Whig Staff Writer
After slowing to almost no growth the previous year, the number of people
getting on and off Amtrak?s Illinois Zephyr in Quincy went up nearly 5
percent last year.
Illinois Department of Transportation Bureau of Railroad numbers showed that
25,646 passengers either got on or off the Zephyr at its Quincy station in
2000.
That?s 1,236 more than 1999?s tally of 24,410 people.
The lack of reliable air service last year probably affected Amtrak
ridership numbers in 2000, said Mecki Kosin, a co-owner of The Travel House.
Quincy had no air service to Chicago between Jan. 5, when Great Lakes
Aviation pulled its service, and Oct. 1, when Air Wisconsin brought it back.
?Amtrak has paid attention to improving the service,? Kosin said.
Each day, the Illinois Zephyr leaves Quincy at 6:12 a.m., arriving at
Chicago?s Union Station at 10:35 a.m. The return trip begins with departure
from Chicago at 5:55 p.m., arriving in Quincy at 10:18 p.m.
Stops are made in Macomb, Galesburg, Kewanee, Mendota, Princeton, Plano,
Naperville and LaGrange.
Ticket prices start at $30 one-way and go up depending on availability and
how far in advance the ticket is purchased.
Mike Figiel, a Quincy University sophomore, has been using the train to get
to and from his home in suburban Chicago and can understand why ridership
has grown.
?It?s the most convenient way to get here,? he said. ?On Sunday, you don?t
have to leave until about 6 p.m. You can have dinner with your family.?
Kevin Brown, QU director of admissions, said his recruiters pitch the rail
connection, especially to students coming from the Chicago area.
?We give them an Amtrak schedule. We use it as one of our marketing tools,?
he said.
This year, Brown said, Amtrak started a coupon system that lets students
making a college recruiting trip ride free as long as a fare-paying parent
accompanies them.
Brown said his staff has handed out the vouchers everywhere and every time
they can. The vouchers go back to Amtrak.
Macomb Mayor Tom Carper, chairman of Amtrak?s national Mayor?s Advisory
Council, said he?s glad the Quincy numbers have grown.
Macomb, home to Western Illinois University, saw about 30,000 boardings and
deboardings last year.
Amtrak?s attention to service, better equipment and the reserved seating
system have all helped make the train a viable transportation alternative,
Carper said.
?The next jump will be more trains,? he said.
Carper would like the frequency of service to go up and said another train
could be part of the future.
?If Amtrak is going to survive there needs to be expanded service,? he said.
The Midwest Regional Rail Initiative, a rail planning group, would like to
upgrade rail service so trains move faster ? up to 110 miles per hour ? and
have more round trips in a day.
But Carper said none of this is a done deal. ?These are long-term goals.?
Carper said a better developed passenger rail system would be a smart way to
alleviate overcrowding at airports.
?Once you spend the money on infrastructure it?s relatively inexpensive to
maintain it,? he said.
Jim Mentesti, president of the Great River Economic Development Foundation,
said Amtrak?s attention to the Illinois Zephyr route is paying off with more
riders.
?They?ve offered some accommodating pricing and their reliability has been a
whole lot better,? Mentesti said.
The emphasis now, with improved Quincy air service attracting travelers,
will be to stay focused on Amtrak?s service and low cost, he said.
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