... it doesn't look like this. However, it may look like this outside later today, so don't forget your hats, gloves, and ice scrapers.
If I don't manage another post, have a good Thanksgiving everyone. I'm thankful that in the Quad Cities, despite our flaws and problems, we have been fortunate enough to be free of wildfires, earthquakes, typhoons, bridge collapses, invasions, and other catastrophes that happen around the world. I'm also thankful that Davenport and Rock Island have made it another year without declaring the first Iowa-Illinois War. You never know.
18 comments:
If one of you runs to the window before reading past the picture, let me know.
Think how great it would be, if you did wake up to this sight, to know that you wouldn't be hassling with snow-covered roads because you were taking the TRAIN to your Thanksgiving destination? Passenger rail service to the Quad Cities is a serious possibility IF residents of the Quad Cities back the effort. Go to www.qcrail.com and add your name to the list of passenger rail backers, write or email your support to state and federal elected officials. Let them know you want passenger rail service in the Quad Cities. Support from both sides of the river is vital.
QCI - I would like to use your format to make a suggestion to the incoming Alderman of the 3rd Ward.
Mr. Boom, you expressed your concerns while running for office that leadership was needed and that the circus had to stop. I would ask that it starts by you setting an example for the audience of the council meetings to follow. The last two meetings in chambers that I have seen you at you were lacking your leadership and professional skills. You may not care or even like some of the current members of the council, but you do owe them the courousy of listening quitly and not behaving the way you did this past Monday. This is not ment to be a tar and feather comment - just a little guidence. Remember - in two years there is the possiblity of you going back in to the audience. I hope that you will continue to join us in the audience until you are sworn in.
what did he do?
Not sure he did anything, however Meyer yelled at him to quit looking at him. I didn't see Boom do anything, although I might have missed it.
From the 12:31 post I would assume he was talking during the meeting.
Wouldn't be surprised if some "bitch slapping" happens outside the council chambers. Oh boy!
Hey Puzzler,
Pass the bong... Passenger rail is not econcomically feasible. Show one successful rail or metro rail service, not supported by tax dollars that works....
For 6:02:
For the record, I do not like traveling by train. That said, in all fairness and candor, we the people highly subsidize the airline industry through the operation of the air traffic control system (the airplanes' "right-of-way" if you will). As well do we subsidize the rights-of-way of the road and highway infrastructure. Of course we subsidize the infrastructure of the navigable waterways.
And properly-so.
Quite frankly, in these times of population mega-expansion it would only make sense to develope a National coordinated transportation system that would include all transportation venues, and quite frankly, one that goes well beyond private ownership only.
That said, I still hate traveling by train.
I'm surprised there's no amtrak service here in the QC.
Isn't there an amtrak station in Moline?
I don't know if Moline has an AMTRAK stattion. If not, the Ground Transportation Center could fit the bill.
According to the below link, the Moline amtrak station is at...
1200 River Drive
Centre Station
Moline, IL 61265
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Station/Station_Page&code=MLI
... I just moved here from the east coast, though I was born & raised in Davenport.
So I guess there's an amtrak station in the QC that doesn't have amtrak service?
Yes, station, yes no service.
Ground Transportation and Centre Station same location. Official name is Centre Station.
The QC has never had Amtrak. The Rock Island Lines provided us with passenger service at the time of the creation of Amtrak, so it didn't come here. Then the Rock went away and we ended up with no passenger service. The cross country lines go through the bottom of the state, bypassing all the major population centers (QC, IA City/CR, DSM, Omaha). Its really an unfortunate setup right now.
Let's hope the study comes back showing that we can support a QC to Chicago line, and that's the beginning of good things for rail service in Iowa.
I used Amtrak last summer to do a weekend trip to Chicago. Cost me about $60 total in train fare plus the cost of gas to drive down to Galesburg. A friend of mine drove in from Dubuque and spent over $80 to PARK for the weekend in Chicago. We also have to think about the potential tourism dollars that the 'city folk' would bring on a getaway weekend to the 'country' on a reverse commute.
^ ... so Galesburg is the closest town with Amtrak service to Chicago?
When going to Sox, Bulls & Blackhawk games, it'd be much easier to take the train into the city & navigate the L versus driving the car & battling traffic, then paying thru the nose for parking. If we Amtrak service, I'd definitely use it... big time.
Also, I agree that rail service here would benefit the QC in terms of bringing in revenue. I don't see how it wouldn't.
One negative scenario would be that it becomes so easy to get to Chicago that more QC folks spend their weekends there than Chicago folks spend their weekends here. However, its probably cheaper for Chicagoans to come here than stay home, whereas its definitely not cheaper to go to Chicago than staying in the QC, no matter how you get there.
My guess is the Amtrak station in Moline is the place to catch the Amtrak connection bus that runs between Moline and Galesburg. When I take the train to Chicago, I board at Princeton, a one hour drive on I-80. The train takes about an hour and a half - two hours tops - to get to Union Station and when I rode in October the round trip cost was $26. No Eisenhower aggravation. No tolls. No $40 a night to park at my hotel. And once Amtrak comes to the Quad Cities, no $3 plus a gallon gas. It may be easier for Quad Citians to get to Chicago for a weekend, but what about all those city dwellers that would love to have a reasonably priced second home on the Mississippi? With Amtrak, they hop on the train and two and a half hours later they've escaped to "the country." Just witness all the people that drive three-four hours on a sometimes two-lane road to get to Galena which isn't even on the river. They have to keep their boats miles away at Frentress Lake...
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