Major Cities: Chicago, Twin Cities (Minneapolis–St. Paul), St. Louis, Kansas City, Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Louisville, Indianapolis

Overview:   The designated Chicago Hub Network includes spokes to St. Louis/Kansas City, Milwaukee/Twin Cities, Detroit, Cleveland, and Cincinnati/Louisville, with a link between Cincinnati and Cleveland via Columbus. Of these, the most highly developed are the three earliest-designated segments: Chicago-Milwaukee, Chicago–St. Louis, and Chicago–Detroit. Significant improvements have occurred or are underway in major components of all three early segments, with operations at 95 mph already possible on Amtrak-owned portions of the Chicago–Detroit route due to an advanced train control system. These three segments, and several more (not “designated”) to such locations as Des Moines/Omaha, Carbondale (IL), Quincy (IL), Green Bay (WI), and Port Huron (MI), form part of a larger plan advanced by nine Midwestern states–the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative (MWRRI). In 2000, capital costs for the States’ entire MWRRI system were estimated at $7.7 billion, for a 10-year program to achieve 110 mph service on many of the lines. An incremental HSR improvement program is planned in view of the hub-and-spoke network, with its 3,000-mile aggregate length, and the relatively favorable alignments of most of the existing routes involved. An important issue is expeditious and reliable access between most spokes of the intercity passenger rail system and its central point, Chicago Union Station.

Status:   An EIS was completed almost 10 years ago for Chicago–St. Louis and an environmental document was prepared for the extension of Chicago to Milwaukee service on to Madison, WI. With recent Federal grants, improvements are being made to the Chicago-St. Louis line and some rail is being replaced between Chicago and Milwaukee.

Chicago Hub Network Contacts
Organization	Personal Contact	Topics
Wisconsin DOT 4802 Sheboygan Avenue, Room 155-B Madison, WI 53707	Randy Wade Passenger Rail Implementation Manager  Tel: 608-266-9498 Fax: 608-267-3567 randall.wade@dot.state.wi.us	Amtrak passenger, freight and grade crossings.
Illinois DOT JRTC-STE 6-600 100 W. Randolph Chicago, IL 60601	George Weber Bureau Chief Tel: 312-793-4222 Fax: 312-793-5674 George.Weber@illinois.gov	Amtrak passenger, freight, and grade crossings.
Michigan DOT Bureau of Transportation Planning Michigan Dept. of Transportation P.O. Box 30050 Lansing, MI 48909	Tim Hoeffner Administrator, Intermodal Policy Division  Tel: 517-373-6672 Fax: 517-373-6457 Cell:  517-719-4062 hoeffnert@michigan.gov	Amtrak passenger, freight, and grade crossings.
Ohio Rail Development Commission 50 West Broad Street, Suite 1510 Columbus, OH 43215	Don Damron Rail Planner Tel: 614-466-2509 Fax: 614-728-4520 don.damron@dot.state.oh.us	Amtrak passenger, freight, and grade crossings.
Indiana DOT Indiana Govt. Center North Local Programs Division 100 N. Senate Avenue, Suite N955 Indianapolis, IN 46204-2228	Michael D. Riley Manager, Office of Railroads Tel: 317-232-1491 Fax: 317-232-1499 Cell:  317-503-0528 mdriley@indot.in.gov	Amtrak passenger, freight, and grade crossings.