By Logan Gay, WPSD NBC 6; March 6, 2020
CARBONDALE, IL — How long are you willing to wait for a train? A report from the Office of Inspector General found Amtrak trains were late 27% of the time. The on-time performance for the Illini/Saluki router, which serves Carbondale, received a failing grade because of freight rail traffic.
Time is money, and the Amtrak Illini/Saluki route’s poor on-time performance is costing its customers time and money. If you frequently catch the Amtrak in Carbondale, chances are you’ve probably experienced a delay once or twice. The rails are owned by Canadian National Railway. Current law requires freight railroads to give preference to passenger trains, but that doesn’t always happen — which delays your trip.