Abandoned Amtrak Station: Rockford Illinois

[greatunclemetz1]

DID IT HAPPEN ?

[celixdog04]

I beleive if this station has not sadly been torn down.. it will be soon. The RHSS site shows the following :

Rockford Ill. Central S. Main St. P vacant 1954 in use brick CN

 To be demolished! Field checked 3/11

Awsome you got back there with some video.

[royalflush5000]

This train station and the warehouse just to the north of it were torn down in April. The site has been graded for construction of a new station.

[spidersean43]

Wait... You said they'll be coming back? Crap. Have they?

Well, looks like I'm not gonna be filming there now...

[ModalTrains4884]

i live in rockford and it would be nice to see Amtrak/commuter service restored here. I know i would use it.

[driveinnut61]

Very cool footage...thanks for posting! Two other cool clips, of abandoned drive in theaters, are "M-37 snack bar oddity" AND "snack bar graffiti at the plainfield". There is something very alluring about these abandoned sites and it's fun to watch the clips here on you tube!

[MrGRAFFITI187]

Why did they shut It down In the past..please reply

[arbutuswatcher]

Sadly, the promises of passenger train service returning to Rockford, on one of the 3 lines that traverse the town have been uttered many, many times before. To be competitive, the railroad would have to travel at speeds comparable to those of the traffic on the interstate. None the lines that currently serve Rockford are equipped to do that. In fact, the cost factor alone to upgrade the crossings, signaling, and track/roadbed is enough to dissuade CN, UP, or ICE.

[arbutuswatcher]

While the desire for passenger train service may be there, the funding has to be in place, and the community has to support it. Local businesses have to derive some gain from it, or this is a dead issue - nostalgia aside.

[Hermdog69]

Hi Nezzy,

It's located southwest of the Main Street/Mill Street intersection. You have to walk across the rail bridge to get there though, unless the fence has been removed.

[drummernezzy]

@Hermdog69 --just saw your answer--thanks!

[drummernezzy]

I live in Rockford, but haven't seen that yet.  What street is it off of? obviously on the west side, but where exactly? thanks--nezzy

[ModalTrains4884]

@drummernezzy

its on South Main. Down by where the waterfront takes place at in the old rail yard.

[drummernezzy]

@ModalTrains4884 ok thanks--i'll check it out when it's WARMER out!

[luvofcountry]

I hope the new rail service includes track upgrades which will allow time/speeds comparable with driving. Otherwise it may go the way of Amtrak's short-lived Lakes Country Limited which provided service to Janesville and Chicago. The WSOR track NW of Fox Lake limited speeds of only about 30mph and couldn't compete with the Van Galder bus service. Shame too, because it was a very scenic ride. I'd hate to see the new Rockford service on a "Fleecing of America" spot, the same as the LCL.

[michaelmohrmann]

So what's the latest on this old train station? Speaking as a rail fan and train buff, I hope the news is good.

[intercityrailpal]

@michaelmohrmann News for Rockford is good so far. It's July 2010 and I just read this station will be the site of the new rail service expected to start in 2012.

[michaelmohrmann]

@intercityrailpal :Okie dokie, thanks a bunch for the good news!

[anguillalaw]

You dumbass niggers

stay out of belvidere....

[ZingsVideos]

Good video. A lot of people mess up their exploration videos with music. The natural sound is much better.

[salm37]

I hope your right

[DewbieHaut]

you sure like that zooming option, dontcha!

[xTeckno]

wheres all the graffiti?

I was at an abandoned train station today with my freind, and we painted graffiti!! LOL it was fun xD but fucckin scary if someones like in the shit man..

[intercityrailpal]

A deal was made in Springfield. To increase service to Saint Louis, Springfield and Chicago. And improve tracks. They had to allow service to out back places like Peoria and Rockford. So they would surport it in Springfield. It had to be a state wide program. (which is a good idea) just like roads and airports. Dubuque wants it bad. But the problem has always been the're in Iowa. Which up to this point has never surported Passenger rail. Go to National Association of Railroad Passengers website

[intercityrailpal]

First of all, this is the Illinois Central Rockford station. Amtrak just used it. IC became ICG,then CCP, now CN. Trains like the overnight Hawkeye and Land 'O Corn and the Sississippi stopped here. Amtrak ran a train called the "Blackhawk" to Dubuque Iowa. I rode it many, many times. But Iowa would not help Illinois pay for it. So it came off. It was very, very popular even if it was one train a day.

[intercityrailpal]

I remember going over 95 mph between Rockford and Freeport, Illinois in a RDC Budd car. You could see the speedometer right up front! The west end was slower. The tracks go to Sioux City, Iowa by way of Fort Dodge and Waterloo

[musthavejava]

I haven't kept up with news regarding Amtrak service being restored to Rockford and beyond. What's the feeling of residents there? Do they believe it's indeed going to happen? Are people excited?

[intercityrailpal]

@musthavejava The Quad Cities just got the money for not one but two trains aday from Chicago. So half the battle has been won. I didn't here anything about Rockford or Dubuque yet. The highway and airline people have started a national misinformation program on talk radio and with conservatives to derail this. They want the rail money put into highways again. They will deceide how we get around not you!

[grommz2000]

well 2009 nearly over, nothing happening there outside of the squatters hahahaha. And yes there are squatters living there, don't let some screwball try to deny it.

[bdogbriguy]

Rockford ia a crime infested shit hole!

[ChiZ712]

qft

[Ewing5150]

looks like south main to me haha

[chadjconnell]

please - at hot bed of criminal activity?? it is a city w/population of 150,000 + so yes there are gonna be bad areas-just do a little research b4 moving and you'll be fine

[segdoh12]

THIS IS A FEMA CAMP

[rockgor]

The depot in the village where I grew up is now

a gift shop.

[everdyl]

I remember picking my grandmother up here when I was a kid. So sad that Rockford has deteriorated so much in a short, short time. I pass by this rail yard all the time - it truly is a sorry sight. As far as being a crime-ridden community, I live west of the river and have had no problems personally, though the economic despair is painfully obvious everywhere. On a positive note, Rockford has a fantastic park service. Warning - have a job before moving here!

[pm0501]

Now that Dick Durbin has been re-elected, you probably won't be hearing a lot about AMTRAK to Rockford. It's not likely to happen anytime in the near future. Obama would rather give everybody new cars than to upgrade national passenger rail service!

[Hermdog69]

Not a fan of the new Prez, but supposedly him and Biden are big supporters of Amtrak. Where did you get your facts?

[pm0501]

With Obama in the White House... you may as well kiss your Amtrak service good bye!

[goodstiff]

Not true. You need to read a newspaper or watch the news on television if you can't read. President Obama and Vice President Biden are big supporters of reviving the rail service in this country. Thats what happens when you flip the channel on television when the President speaks. I know where you are coming from, but, one day you will get whats happening in the twenty-first century. It's a new day bubba.

[pm0501]

My comment was based on what I read on my TelePrompTer. What I meant to say was, I can't wait to ride the first revived Amtrak train to Rockford. That should be any day now!

[musthavejava]

If you listen closely...you can hear the faint rumble of an Amtrak locomotive, her shiny coaches hitched behind, as she idles restlessly at Chicago Union Station, eager to begin her journey to Rockford, Illinois. Have faith and hope: the trains WILL come again!

[exposedtv2]

woooww that very real it will come it will help boost our economy

[musthavejava]

Absolutely...everything helps. I'm looking forward to Amtrak service being restored!

[covertempire]

ROCKFORD STAND UP! THE COVERT EMPIRE.

[JayEm74]

about darn time....

[rando4038]

is'nt that a old illinois central rr depot?

[bob199061]

lol than a train comes by and stops

[Hermdog69]

Really? Check out rrstar . com. (No periods) and search for Amtrak.

[odessyrcr589]

Its 2008, no damn train will ever blow that shit hole. Its cut off from the rest of the world like its leaders prefer.

[exposedtv2]

your a dump peace of shit

[exposedtv2]

your a dump peace of shit

[odessyrcr589]

LOL, and you are the perfect example of a Rockford resident. An uneducated foul mouthed welfare case who is angry about their undesirable situation.

[lurch321]

So, it's now early 2008..........are there trains running thru there now?

[kicox1]

hey buddy where is this in downtown rockford?

by what streets ,, would be a great place for a video shoot

thx ahead of time

[CHEVYTOYZ2005]

SOUTH MAIN ST BY MORGAN

[lymanfilms]

That's cool

[bbishoffproducer]

Wow, that is really odd that a city with almost 200,000 residents an hour from Chicago wouldn't have train service. Was there a nuclear power accident there?

[darrenshy]

Hahahaaha

Yeah it's the end of 07 still no train.

[pipebender69]

lol...Well its a city with about 175,00 crackheads living there so you cant blame Chicago for not wanting them there...

[odessyrcr589]

Its 90 miles from Chicago, and there mine as well had been a nuclear blow over. Its sad that a city of that size is in such disrepair, from its economy, to its streets, to its school system. People are moving out at a rapid rate.

[pigsinspace123]

is there much crimew in rockford? i might move there.

[odessyrcr589]

Please don't listen to anyone that say Rockford is a low crime community. West of the river is a hot bed of drugs prostituition, gangs, drive by's, break ins. Its pretty bad. The East side is nice, you should be fine there.

[musthavejava]

Crime is everywhere; it's a national epidemic. No community is completely immune. That said, moving to Rockford isn't the worst scenario one could envision. Research areas of interest, find an ideal property and move on in.

[intercityrailpal]

NO, it's called the airline and highway lobby. They run the government, and hate trains.

[tgva325]

The station was closed when the "Black Hawk" Chicago-Dubuque train was discontinued in October 1º 1981 because Illinois discontinued funds for train operation. Now there are talks to reopen the service to Dubuque via Rockford.

[sjtuite]

I will def. use this service. I drive out to Harvard to use the Amtrack there, but Rockford needs this now. Hopefully this will breath some life into this city. god knows we need it. Rockford will take anything we can get thats for sure.

[tgva325]

Yes, more trains, more often to more places!

[dandace]

its about time they did something with this place...one of the biggest cities in Illinois, and no amtrak service? Ill be using it for sure.

[tekno815]

is this the southside?

[aviationchick]

sweet im always stuck in galena!

[Hermdog69]

Yes, Amtrak will be going to Galena, Rockford, Dubuque, and a few other stations.

[kmothersil]

So service is coming back?

[eugenelizard]

can you get more footage of the town?i want my girlfriend to see my hometown im in tennessee btw

[Hermdog69]

No, when Amtrak Discontinued service to Rockford, the station was closed down. I think it was shut down in the 80's. The only trains that do pass through there is the CN.

[darrenmullin84]

Does amtrak still pass through here and when did this station close?