This just in for our governor, who will be riding thr rails once again to promote his re-election campaign passenger rail service:
GOVERNOR CULVER’S IOWA UNLIMITED ROLLS EAST THIS WEEKEND
Train to promote passenger rail service throughout Iowa
DES MOINES – Governor Chet Culver’s Iowa Unlimited is on the move again, this time with stops in Eastern Iowa on Sunday, July 26. Designed to raise awareness of passenger rail, the train will make stops in Iowa City, West Liberty, Durant, and Walcott before crossing the Mississippi and holding an event in Moline at the future site of the Quad Cities’ passenger rail depot.
“Restoring passenger rail service is one of the Culver-Judge Administration’s top transportation priorities,” said Governor Culver. “Reconnecting some of our largest cities to Chicago will add to Iowa’s economic success, and as Governor I look forward to working with all Iowans to expand passenger rail throughout the state.”
Following the stops on Sunday, the Iowa Unlimited will continue to Chicago where Governor Culver will participate in the Midwest High Speed Rail Summit on Monday. The meeting is designed to further efforts to make Chicago a regional passenger rail hub, with lines radiating from the city to communities in other states. Participants will discuss with the Obama Administration ways to utilize Federal Recovery funds to expand passenger rail service throughout the Midwest.
As part of the sessions with other Governors, Governor Culver is also expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with Illinois Governor Pat Quinn on two proposed passenger rail lines – Chicago to Dubuque and Chicago to Iowa City. Current proposals call for the expansion of the Chicago-to-Iowa City route to Des Moines and points further west.
Traveling with the Governor on Sunday will be state transportation officials, advocates for passenger rail, and community leaders. Congressman David Loebsack will travel from Iowa City to Moline, and Amtrak Board of Directors Chairman Tom Carper will ride with the Governor to the Summit in Chicago from Moline.
Efforts have been taken in recent years to bring passenger rail service back to portions of the state, with current proposals to bring service to Dubuque, the Quad Cities and Iowa City and longer term plans to bring service to other communities such as Des Moines and Council Bluffs.
To help spur efforts, Governor Culver’s signature legislative accomplishment – the I-JOBS Initiative — includes $10 million for multi-modal transportation projects in Iowa, including $3 million for expanded passenger rail service in the state. In addition, the Iowa Department of Transportation will be competing for federal passenger rail funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. All of these steps position Iowa to work with Illinois and Amtrak to bring new passenger rail lines to the state that connect more Iowa communities with Chicago.
Governor Culver’s Iowa Unlimited is being provided thanks to the generous efforts of the Iowa Interstate Railroad, Ltd.
Below is the timetable for the Iowa Unlimited.
SUNDAY, JULY 26TH
12:00pm Governor Culver’s Iowa Unlimited Send Off Event
Old Rock Island Depot
119 Wright Street
Iowa City, IA
1:26pm Governor Culver’s Iowa Unlimited stops in West Liberty
The Depot
405 North Elm Street
West Liberty, IA
2:26pm Governor Culver’s Iowa Unlimited Stops in Durant
Pythian Sisters Park
Main Street
Durant, IA
3:06pm Governor Culver’s Iowa Unlimited Stops in Walcott
On the tracks (near 103 S. Main)
Walcott, IA
4:21pm Governor Culver’s Iowa Unlimited stops in Moline
Center Station
1200 River Drive
Moline, IL
24-Hour Dorman 