As a transfer student from an area with access to Chicago trains, the idea of Amtrak making rail access available to NIU is exciting.

The U.S. Senate passed legislation this month making funds available for just such an undertaking, according to an Oct. 13 Daily Chronicle article. The proposed Amtrak rail line would run once a day.

It would leave Iowa in the morning, stop in Chicago by mid-morning, leave Chicago in the evening and return to Iowa in the late evening. The route would include potential stops in Freeport, Rockford and Genoa, which is about 15 miles from DeKalb.

“NIU draws heavily from Chicago for students so it would be much more convenient for those students to have access to this rail line,” said State Rep. Bob Pritchard (R-Hinckley). He went on to explain he strongly supports rail rejuvenation as an alternative to reliance on the individual auto

The Genoa stop would be the closest rail service NIU students could take advantage of. But what if you are like many other students on campus and don’t have a car to get to the new stop?

“Some kind of arrangement would potentially be made with the Huskie Bus Line,” said Joe Misurelli, Genoa City Administrator.

Since the train will only be in Genoa twice a day, Misurelli said he did not think arranging a route with the Huskie line would be a hard thing to do.

“It’s good for the state to support transportation by rail because it’s more environmentally-friendly, reduces congestion on the highways and with gas prices as they currently are, miles per gallon can increase with the lack of highway congestion,” Misurelli said.

There is also another cost advantage to the proposed route.Misurelli said costs could be reduced because the track already exists. Amtrak took control of the Blackhawk line, which ran during the ’70s and ’80s, before discontinuing it.

While that track could still be used, Misurelli explained some track work needs to be done. According to Misurelli, the line could also double as a freight line moving cargo to and from Chicago.

The proposed plan has already received federal backing and is currently awaiting state approval. Illinois Rep. Don Manzullo (R-Ill.) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), as well as the Illinois Department of Transportation approve of the plan.

With a great amount of backing and a cost-efficient plan, the potential Amtrak line would be a great investment for the state of Illinois.

And hey, you’ll finally be able to grab a train to Chicago to visit your friends.