Study shows train demand

Proposed railroad service between Iowa City and Chicago would draw 187,000 passengers a year but would require about $55 million in set-up costs, according an Amtrak study released Friday. Iowa and Illinois also would have to pay annual operating costs of about $6 million, the study said. Amtrak conducted the study at the request of transportation officials from the two states. The proposed route would go through the Quad Cities, then to Iowa City along tracks that run south of Interstate 80. The study's estimates assumed there would be two daily round trips. The trip from Iowa City to Chicago would take about five hours with a train traveling up to 79 mph. A one-way adult ticket could range from $25 to $68, based on fares for comparable routes. Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said the service would be popular with college students, especially the many Illinois natives who attend the University of Iowa.