Mar 20 2025

A Rail Revolution Begins with Fixing Chicago Union Station

UTC Spring 2025 Seminar Series

March 20, 2025

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Cost

No Cost

Calendar

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The second UTC Seminar Series of spring 2025 will feature a presentation on an initiative underway to redevelop Chicago’s iconic Union Station.

Today: Union Station offers direct service to 375 cities and towns in 36 states.

Tomorrow: That could grow to 43 million people within 3 hours by high-speed train.

Over 300 daily trains radiate from Chicago Union Station’s tidy two square blocks, across the country. Trains to the coasts line up side by side with trains to the suburbs. Add a dozen high-speed trains per hour, and Chicago Union Station would become one of the most versatile and impactful transportation centers in the nation.

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Contact

Edward Bury

ebury@uic.edu

Date posted

Feb 24, 2025

Date updated

Feb 24, 2025

Speakers

Rick Harnish | Executive Director | High Speed Rail Alliance

Rick Harnish helped found the High Speed Rail Alliance in 1993 with a passion for revitalizing the region he grew up in, lives in, and loves. The Alliance advocates for integrated rail and transit networks connected by 200 mph high-speed lines. By connecting cities, towns and airports, the high-speed trains will dramatically expand economic opportunities and slash carbon emissions. A native of the Chicago area, Harnish has been HSRA’s executive director since 2001. His work is informed by his strong commitment to researching and learning from global best practices. He has ridden high-speed trains—often in the context of leading small groups—in 10 countries and he draws on a global network of colleagues with expertise in trains and transportation policy.