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Amtrak began providing 110-mph rail service on a 15-mile segment in Illinois along the Chicago-St. Louis corridor on Nov. 22, Illinois state and Amtrak officials announced last week.

The faster train represented a "historic step" toward establishing a high-speed rail network in Illinois, they said in a prepared statement.

On Thanksgiving Day, Amtrak Lincoln Service trains started operating at 110 mph between Dwight and Pontiac, Ill. Other Amtrak trains on the Chicago-St. Louis corridor will continue to operate at a top speed of 79 mph, including Texas Eagle route trains.

"Regular operations at 110 mph on six daily Amtrak Lincoln Service trains are a major milestone in the development of our Chicago Hub network," said Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Boardman. "Combined with our high-speed trains in Michigan, this means Amtrak now has a total of 14 daily trains to and from Chicago that operate at 110 mph."