Macomb names passenger rail station to honor former mayor, Amtrak board of directors member

MACOMB, Ill. — The City of Macomb officially named the Macomb passenger rail station the Thomas C. Carper Amtrak Station in honor of Thomas C. Carper on Thursday, May 16.

Carper, originally from Buda, was honored for his dedication to public service and commitment to the city of Macomb, the state of Illinois and the nation’s rail infrastructure.

Carper served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War from 1967 to 1970. He then arrived in Macomb and at Western Illinois University. Carper was a local business owner and entrepreneur who graduated from Western Illinois University. Carper was elected to his first of three terms as mayor of Macomb in 1991. He remained mayor until 2003.

Carper was appointed in 2008 by President George Bush to serve on the Amtrak board of directors, becoming chair of the board in 2009. Carper was honored by his alma mater with an alumni achievement award. Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump also appointed Carper as he became the longest-serving Amtrak board member in the corporation’s history.