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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Many State-supported passenger trains in Illinois
3currently are operating at full capacity; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Passenger train demand has doubled in the last 5
5years and continues to grow; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The federal government has provided Illinois and
7the Midwest states with capital grants to acquire new
8"Next-Generation" passenger trains; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The "Next-Generation" train order is designed to
10replace, not supplement, the number of trains in service; and
 
11    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois will not be able to
12accommodate increased ridership solely through the use of
13"Next-Generation" trains; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Federal law has mandated that states shall begin
15to make capital payments for trains in service as of October
162013; and
 
17    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois' capital payments can favor
18the continued growth and reduced cost of its State-supported
19passenger trains; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois can increase its ridership
2capacity by directing these capital payments to high-speed,
3high-capacity trains that are interoperable with the State's
4"Next-Generation" train specification to supplement
5"Next-Generation" trains; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois may offset the capital
7payments for these trains by selling more tickets made
8available by the greater number of seats on these trains;
9therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
11ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that in order to address the
12above capacity and cost issues, the Illinois Department of
13Transportation (IDOT) shall develop a strategy to acquire
14additional passenger railcars in advance of the Next Generation
15deliveries and shall deliver an action plan to implement this
16strategy; and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That any trains used to supplement the current
18fleet must be able to operate at speeds of 110 MPH, must have a
19high-capacity of over 72 seats per coach, must be interoperable
20with the State's "Next-Generation" train specification, and
21must be delivered in advance of the receipt of the State's
22"Next-Generation" trains; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That IDOT shall deliver the action plan in
2writing no later than 30 days from adoption of this resolution
3to the members of the Illinois Senate, the Governor of the
4State of Illinois, the Illinois Secretary of Transportation,
5the Illinois Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and
6the Director of the Governor's Office of Management and Budget.