The Illini is a passenger train operated by Amtrak that runs between Chicago and Carbondale in Illinois. The train is a part of the Illinois Service rail network and is partially funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation. The train service uses the same track as another Amtrak route, the City of New Orleans. In rail transport, a train consists of a single or several connected rail vehicles that are capable of being moved together along a guideway to transport freight or passengers from one place to another along a planned route. ... Amtrak is the trademark name of an intercity passenger train system created on May 1, 1971 in the United States. ... Chicago (officially named the City of Chicago) is the third largest city in the United States (after New York City and Los Angeles), with an official population of 2,896,016, as of the 2000 census. ... Carbondale is a city in extreme south central Illinois in the midwestern United States, about an hour north of Cairo. ... State nickname: Land of Lincoln, The Prairie State Other U.S. States Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Governor Rod Blagojevich Official languages English Area 149,998 km² (25th)  - Land 143,968 km²  - Water 6,030 km² (4. ... The Illinois Service consists of four train routes operated by Amtrak to provide frequent daily passenger rail service between Chicago and other cities in the state of Illinois (plus additional cities in neighboring Missouri). ... For the city itself, see New Orleans, Louisiana. ...

The Illini is named in recognition of the train's passing through Champaign-Urbana, home of the largest University of Illinois. The university's sports teams are called the Fighting Illini. The name ultimately comes from the Illiniwek, a Native American confederacy. The train was operated by the Illinois Central Railroad before it was taken over by Amtrak. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign   The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, also known as UIUC and the U of I (the officially preferred abbreviation), is the largest campus in the University of Illinois system. ... The Illiniwek (also known as the Illini, Illinois, Illinois Confederacy, etc) were a group of several Native American tribes in the upper Mississippi River valley of North America. ... Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, Amerindians, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ... Categories: Rail stubs | Defunct railroad companies of the United States | Defunct companies | Illinois railroads | Iowa railroads | Louisiana railroads | Missouri railroads | South Dakota railroads | Wisconsin railroads ...

Stations served

• Chicago
• Homewood
• Kankakee
• Gilman
• Rantoul
• Champaign-Urbana
• Mattoon
• Effingham
• Centralia
• Du Quoin
• Carbondale

Chicago (officially named the City of Chicago) is the third largest city in the United States (after New York City and Los Angeles), with an official population of 2,896,016, as of the 2000 census. ... Homewood is a village located in Cook County, Illinois. ... Kankakee is a city located in Kankakee County, Illinois. ... Gilman is a city located in Iroquois County, Illinois. ... Rantoul is a village located in Champaign County, Illinois. ... A view of Champaign from above ( see wider view). ... A snowy day in Carle Park west of the Urbana High School. ... Mattoon is a city located in Coles County, Illinois. ... Effingham is a city located in Effingham County, Illinois. ... Centralia is a city located in Clinton County, Illinois. ... Du Quoin is a city located in Perry County, Illinois. ... Carbondale is a city in extreme south central Illinois in the midwestern United States, about an hour north of Cairo. ...

External links

Illinois Service on Amtrak's website (http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Route/Vertical_Route_Page&c=am2Route&cid=1081256321807&ssid=133)