Prior to Amtrak, the Illinois Central Railroad operated the Land O'Corn between Chicago and Waterloo, Iowa, discontinuing it in 1967. The first Black Hawk began running on February 13, 1974, using Budd Rail Diesel Cars. Conventional diesel locomotives and coaches replaced the RDCs after February 2, 1976. Equipment varied, including ex-Chicago & North Westerngallery cars, dome cars, boat-tailed observation cars, full diners, lunch counter diners and ex-ATSF Hi-Level Coaches. Further, power for the Black Hawk also varied on a regular basis with GE P30CHs, EMD SDP40Fs, EMD F40PHs and the occasional Illinois Central Gulf "Geep" filling in for ailing power. Amfleet coaches arrived in November 1976.The Black Hawk ceased on September 30, 1981, after Illinois reduced its appropriations for passenger service. Several Rockford based groups sponsored special charter trips to Chicago events such as Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox games as well as performances of "The Ice Capades" on the Black Hawk. On these trips, the consists could swell to as many as seven to 10 cars. During the RDC days, the usual consist consisted of three RDCs. During the mid-to-late 1970s the consist usually included 3 cars, including a food service car of one type or another. During a good part of the summer of 1977, the Black Hawk ran with a full dining car and dome coaches. The route used the former Illinois Central Railroad route between Chicago's Union Station and Bridgeport and the Freeport Subdivision west of Bridgeport.
Restoration
In 2007 Amtrak, at the state of Illinois' request, conducted a feasibility study to reinstate the Black Hawk route to Rockford and Dubuque. Initial capital costs ranged from $32 million to $55 million, depending on the route. Once in operation, the service would require roughly $5 million a year in subsidies from the state. On December 10, 2010, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced the route choice for the resumption of service to begin in 2014 going over mostly Chicago Central railway owned by Canadian National.This line will be the only Amtrak Illinois Service route that will not be on track used by Metra. IDOT confirmed the return of the "Black Hawk" name in 2012. The equipment to be used on the route was to be the Next Generation Bi-Level Passenger Rail Car built by Nippon Sharyo at a new plant in Rochelle, Illinois, which is located just 24 miles south of a portion of the proposed route. However one of the first cars manufactured failed a critical safety test, the contract was cancelled and the plant never fully opened. The equipment will instead be single level Siemens Venture cars built at its plant in Sacramento, CA, similar to cars supplied to Brightline/Virgin Trains for its services in Florida.
New proposal
On April 10, 2014, a new plan for Amtrak service that would terminate in Rockford was released after the IDOT was unable to negotiate a deal with the Canadian National Railway, who owns the tracks the old proposal was going to use. IDOT will continue to work with the CN to eventually get the route extended to its planned terminus of Dubuque, IA. The new proposal would use a route along former Milwaukee Road and Chicago & North Western tracks through downtown Elgin, Huntley, and Belvidere before terminating in Rockford.
Plans on hold, later funded
On February 9, 2015, Illinois GovernorBruce Rauner announced that the plans for the route would be put on hold until further notice, as the state did not have sufficient funds to continue the project. $3 million had been spent out of the $223 million plan. Huntley, IL had spent over $50,000 to build a station platform. However, after a new transportation bill was passed by the state legislature in July 2019, supported by Governor J.B. Pritzker, $275M was appropriated to begin service.
