Amtrak looks at new line to Quad Cities

The path to the Quad Cities could go through Naperville if a proposal to expand Amtrak service moves forward.

Amtrak this week announced details of a study into the feasibility of creating a passenger route between Chicago and the Quad Cities.

Stops on the way could include LaGrange, Naperville and Plano, and it's estimated about 110,000 riders would travel annually.

The Naperville route is the cheaper of two alternatives studied and would cost between $14 million and $23 million, the report concluded. The annual expense to the state of Illinois is estimated at $6 million a year.

The next step is negotiating with the railroads that own the lines Amtrak would use, which include the BNSF and Iowa Instate railways, plus come up with a detailed funding plan, Amtrak officials said.

The Quad Cities proposal has the backing of U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Train service to the Quad Cities ended in the 1970s. Officials said growth in tourism sparked by casinos along the Mississippi River makes the project feasible.

The Quad Cities include Moline, Davenport, Rock Island and Bettendorf.

Projected travel times are about 3½ hours at speeds of up to 79 mph.

Amtrak also is set to release a report later this year examining whether to extend the route from the Quad Cities to Iowa City.