All Aboard! Illinois Zephyr is celebrating 50 years

QUINCY – Quincy Mayor Mike Troup, Quincy University President Brian McGee and several others boarded the Illinois Zephyr this morning as part of a special celebration.  

Communities along the corridor of Amtrak’s Illinois Zephyr route from Quincy to Chicago are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the state-sponsored passenger rail service today.

The Quincy City Council adopted a resolution Monday declaring Wednesday, November 3, as Amtrak Anniversary Day. The morning northbound and evening southbound trains have been running since November 1971.

The Quincy Convention and Visitors Bureau had live music, coffee and cookies as people boarded for this morning’s 6:12 departure. Galesburg’s celebration was starting an hour before the train’s anticipated arrival at 8:35 a.m.

Most officials representing cities on the Zephyr’s southern half were taking the train to Princeton and returning around noon today.