Amtrak Illinois 110mph High(er) Speed Rail - Odell, IL

After over a decade of planning and work and nearly $2 billion spent, Amtrak finally shaved off half an hour from its Chicago-St. Louis schedule by raising the speed limit from 79mph to 110mph between Joliet and Alton, IL. What's old is new again, as over 60 years ago the GM&O had similar schedules using E units on jointed rail.
On May 3rd, 2023, the speed limit was finally raised from 90mph to 110mph after the Interoperable Electronic Train Management System (I-ETMS, Wabtec's Positive Train Control system in use across the U.S.) was certified for 110mph. Then, on June 26th, 2023, the timetable was finally adjusted to remove 15 to 20 minutes from each train's schedule between Chicago and St. Louis.
I ventured out to Odell, IL on July 14th to witness Amtrak's Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle trains zipping along at 100+mph through the small town and its surrounding cornfields. Normally I am running the trains, not watching them go by, so I did not account for the obnoxiously loud and discordant crossing bells on the Siemens crossing gate installations. Next time I'll have to stand farther away from crossings so that the sound of the horn, the train, and the sweet sound of steel rails singing can be heard more clearly.
Trains featured:
Amtrak 302 Northbound Lincoln Service
IDTX 4610 SC-44
IDTX 4632 SC-44
Amtrak 319 Southbound Lincoln Service/Missouri River Runner
IDTX 4625 SC-44
Amtrak 21 Southbound Texas Eagle
AMTK 62 P42DC
AMTK 192 P42DC

[@MarkLac]

Several of these 110mph corridor no doubt have the potential to literally “Brightline” themselves to go even faster at 125mph in the future.

[@Trainmaster909]

FRA limits routes with grade crossings to 110mph

[@anastasiszaroliagis5066]

Needs aprouval tracks and electric power for more speed.😮.

[@Mrcharles.]

If they could get speeds up to 220 mph then you wouldn’t need feeder planes between St. Louis and Chicago.

[@thepuncakian2024]

If they don't upgrade the locomotives then it's kind of moot. Even if it's given completely straight track with no restrictions, the P42 can only top out at 110 mph.
Edit: but the SC44 can top out at 125 mph.

[@WazyKeys]

@@Trainmaster909 Not true but rare FRA do allow 125 mph at crossing if aprove by FRA

[@setandcentered]

LIVIN' THE DREAM

[@nolantherailfan5048]

110mph is a lot faster than people realize

[@ronnie_5150]

If you say 177 kilometers per hour, it seems even faster. 😁

[@railfanstreator94]

So that’s what 21 looks like from atop your car 🤔🤔🤔😂😂😂. Well done my friend and thank you again from the bottom of my heart for that day. We’ll do it again sometime 😊

[@glemanimations3758]

1:17 - You won't see much superliner cars going this fast on a curve but they did!!!

[@dennisyoung4631]

Awesome P42, with a little Soot!

[@Slapjabber]

That curve is wild. The track looks warped and there is no angle in the curve, like a race track.

[@mccoy79productions66]

Very nice video!

[@froztytrainfilms9148]

Nice catches the Texas eagle has gotta be the fastest long distance train outside the northeast

[@MP36er]

Thank you! It's the only Superliner-equipped train doing 100mph that I am aware of.

[@Perich29]

The Southwest Chief does 90MPH on some of the way right now thats the fastest train that we have running on the Arizona tracks.

[@notarotomwithhair5637]

and a bit in missouri

[@fafnir242]

​@@MP36er If there's data on it, I apologize and retract this statement, but the Texas Eagle definitely doesn't do 100 mph on this stretch. I was led to believe the Eagle was still limited to 80 on this stretch because the Superliners are not rated for anything higher than that.

[@Mrcharles.]

@@fafnir242No I think you’re right about that because of the height on those super liners. If they were more closer to the ground then speeds would be much faster.

[@mindlessgonzo]

Ah, so instead of an hour late, they can be 30 minutes late.

[@thuggoe]

those tracks look nice and smooth

[@gevoface]

I happened to be on one of these when they were testing for 115!

[@Perich29]

good job amtrak.

[@ix.cryo1]

True freedom 🔥

[@ImanRailfans-th4ef]

🎉🎉🎉👍👍👍👍🚂🤝💪

[@mistersurogat]

good location

[@3506Dodge]

I"ve never seen trains that fast on single section tracks.

[@TheTransitDiaries]

How does it round a corner that fast, is it because of the banking, or does the camera angle make the curve look sharp?

[@MP36er]

The curve is indeed banked, but because I was zoomed in so far, the curve looks sharper than it actually is. The speed limit on the curve is 100mph.

[@TheTransitDiaries]

@@MP36er what curve radius allows for 100mph? 800meters?

[@bryanholley5262]

I missed that one. I never seen a train go 100 miles an hour in this vid.

[@az8theist977]

I think the first train was pretty close to 100mph. The others? Eh, not so much.

[@neilthompson2577]

They seem slower than 110 MPH

[@adventuresofamtrakcascades301]

0:09

[@Montecat33]

Great video! What camera did you use to record this?

[@MP36er]

Thank you! Canon Rebel T1i

[@KNR6292]

These new horns on the Chargers are just quiet AF, i dont get it

[@RailfannerofIllinois13]

That’s a Lincoln river runner

[@toddvaughan3709]

If that train derailed the person is toast

[@rogelio1307]

Nice but what location is that

[@MP36er]

Thank you! This is three locations around Odell, IL. Around Milepost 82 out on the Union Pacific Joliet Subdivision.

[@rogelio1307]

@@MP36er okay

[@RailfannerofIllinois13]

Lincoln service

[@TDM4886]

Play it at 2x speed, it will make it look like it goes 220 mph

[@slimydick23]

I'm gonna need a radar gun on these, I know 110 is the limit but this doesn't look close.

[@MP36er]

The telephoto shots make it look slow...but trust me, we hit 100/110 through that segment.

[@J-Bahn]

Literally and unironically- thanks obama

[@bernardschmitt6389]

Thanks Illinois DOT

[@bernardschmitt6389]

They fund most of Amtrak Midwest

[@32INCHSTRIPER]

Not even close to 110..