State News

Statewide: The future of high speed rail

NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS | By Sean Crawford

Published July 10, 2025 at 11:07 AM CDT

An Amtrak train at the station in Normal — From concept to start of service, it took several decades for 110 mph passenger train service to begin on the Chicago to St. Louis corridor.

On this episode, we examine how far high speed rail has come in Illinois. With 110 mile per hour trains running between Chicago and St. Louis, advocates are talking about trains going twice as fast.

What would it take to make that happen and expand service to more communities?

Also:

* Peter Medlin reports on teachers following a new state law requiring a unit on Native American history and experiences.

* We get some tips on how to choose a personal financial advisor.

* Charlie Schlenker looks at high speed rail and how the project with faster train service happened. He also reports on 220 mile per hour trains and how long it could take for that to become reality in the state.

* Rich Egger has the story of a couple that found a place to create art and call home in western Illinois.

* Harvest Public Media's Hope Kirwan reports how tariffs have specialty ag producers concerned.

* Lisa Kurian Philip brings us details on volunteers bringing birth control to DePaul University students. The catholic school bans contraceptives.

Planned Parenthood Generation Action, the DePaul University student group, received a letter from the university in June informing them that they were being “deactivated” as a registered student group.

* Brady Johnson of WVIK has details on what are known as age-friendly communities as the country's population is trending older.

* Will Bauer has the latest on a Granite City steel mill with an uncertain future.