Impacts of the 2008 floods on railroads in Illinois and adjacent states

Near record floods in the Midwest during the spring-summer of 2008 brought massive damages to railroads and train movement problems. Illinois is in the busiest rail area of the nation. All seven of the nation’s seven major railroads experienced losses. The dam - ages led to closures of 56rail lines in the 5-state area centered on Illinois, and many closures lasted a week or longer. Many passengers could not travel on Amtrak trains since many were cancelled for weeks The damaged tracks led to eight train wrecks and nine bridges were ruined. The damage costs to the 15 railroads affected were $85 million; the revenues lost totaled $69 million; and the total of $154 million rates as one of the major rail losses on record.