After years of delay, funding to restart Chicago-Quad Cities rail service has Illinois back on track
- Posted on September 11, 2026
- By Chicago Tribune
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- 1 min read
In brief
After decades of absence, the Quad Cities region spanning Iowa and Illinois is poised to restore its historic passenger rail connection. Long a critical hub for the Rock Island Line, the area lost rail service in 1979. Recent funding commitments now signal a major turning point, potentially revitalizing transportation infrastructure and economic development for communities that have endured nearly 45 years without direct passenger rail access.
Summary auto-generated by AI from the original publisher's content. Editorial standards.
After years of delay, funding to restart Chicago-Quad Cities rail service has Illinois back on track
The Quad Cities, which straddle the Iowa-Illinois border, have gone without passenger rail since 1979, despite their history as the center of the Rock Island Line.
