Loop (Amtrak train)
The Loop was a daily Amtrak intercity train that ran between Chicago and Springfield, Illinois. It started on April 27, 1986 with funding from the state of Illinois and served as a counterpart to the State House train, leaving Chicago in the morning and returning in the afternoon. The trip covered about 185 miles (298 km) and took around 3 hours and 30 minutes. It stopped at Summit, Joliet, Dwight, Pontiac, Normal, and Lincoln along the way.
The Loop carried Amtrak equipment, beginning with refurbished bilevel cars from the Chicago & North Western Railway. By 1987 Amtrak switched to Amfleet coaches, later supplemented by Horizon Fleet coaches. The train numbers were 311 and 312, with seating options including custom class and unreserved coach, plus an onboard cafe.
Funding shortfalls led to the loss of Saturday service in mid-1995, and Illinois withdrew its support, ending the Loop on June 28, 1996. In 2006 Amtrak added two new round trips to the line, expanding service and creating what became the Lincoln Service.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 22:41 (CET).