| Illini / Saluki | Du Quoin, IL  |  Fulton,KY | City of New Orleans | Centralia, IL |
Carbondale is the most populous City in Southern Illinois outside of the St. Louis region. It is home to Southern Illinois University (SIU). SUI's mascot is the Saluki, hence when the new Carbondale ↔ Chicago round-trip that was added in 2006 the train was named after its mascot in contrast and to supplement the Illini (which is the mascot of the much larger flagship campus of the Illinois State University). The Illini was the name of the then once-daily state supported route between Carbondale and Chicago that was extended from Champaign on January 12, 1986. This extension of the Illini to Carbondale replaced the Shawnee that was a previous daily Chicago to Carbondale train that operated from the start of Amtrak until January 2, 1986.
The city has also received continuous service as an intermediate stop from Amtrak service between Chicago and New Orleans. This route was first named the Panama Limited (the traditional name of the overnight train on this route) before being renamed the City of New Orleans in 1981. There was a previous named train, the City of New Orleans which was the Illinois Central name traditionally used for the very long, 16 hour, daytime train on this route, the Panama Limited was traditionally the overnight train.
The station was also a quasi-terminal stop on the unique River Cities train that operated between 1984 and 1993. This consisted a couple of through cars that were coupled or decoupled from the City of New Orleans in Carbondale before continuing the 117 miles to St. Louis (for the first 58 miles north to and from Centralia, the train operated 15 minutes before or behind the City of New Orleans, providing the only train to stop at Du Quoin and also stopping in Centralia). These cars were then attached to the respective Missouri Mules train. This little connecting train provided one-seat ride service from New Orleans to Kansas City. The train was discontinued in 1993 due to low ridership but to this day there is still connecting bus service operating in the wee hours of the night timed to connect with the City of New Orleans between this station and St. Louis.
In terms of stations in Carbondale, Amtrak has serviced three. From Amtrak's founding until 1981 trains stopped at the historic Carbondale Depot, now home to the Carbondale Depot Museum, a railroad museum with two historic railcars parked outside (I didn't visited it, my main trip — other than fresh air stops on the City of New Orleans in the middle of the night — was just on a quick overnight in Carbondale between the evening arrival of the Illini that becomes the morning departure of the Saluki at the overpriced Home2 Suites Hotel just across the street from the depot). This historic depot is a block north of the Amtrak station in the middle of the double-block between Walnut and Main Street (with Monroe Street ending at a T-intersection just before the station) and visible from passing trains.
The other two Amtrak stations service the same platform. This is a very long train platform that runs for about 15 train car lengths from the grade-crossing of Walnut Street at its northern end to College Street at its Southern end. It has a tactile warning strip running the length of the platform but is overwise exposed to the elements. It seems like a platform that should have no entry signs at each end, but none are present (as of the July 2025).
The platform leads out to a single stopping track along the west side of what are two through tracks through the City of Carbondale. There is also a siding track that begins with a switch at the southern end of the platform, ending with a couple of concrete blocks and small buffers on the tracks just before the grade-crossing of Walnut Street (it doesn't cross any streets). This siding track is where Illini and Saluki trains layover after the trains reverse north of the station to use a wye just north of downtown to change direction. These trains are then switched onto the main station track about 15 minutes before the train's departure.
For stations from 1981 until May 18, 2025 trains stopped at a very small modular station that is in the same style as an AmStation. This tiny station had all the charm you would expect was located in the middle of the platform leading out to Illinois Avenue, across from Elm Street. It was demolished by June 2025 to allow for phase II of the Southern Illinois Multi-Modal station to be constructed.
Phase I of the Southern Illinois Multi-Modal station opened on May 19, 2025 replacing the previous AmStation. The multi-modal station area is at the corner of Walnut Street and Illinois Avenue where there is a small plaza by the intersection that contains a flagpole and few benches looking out to the street corner. There is also designated scooter parking that helps connect the station with Southern Illinois University south of the station. A separate sidewalk area lower than the sidewalk is designed for the station to be surrounded by protected bike lanes but as Phase 2 of the station is still under construction this isn't in use yet leading to nowhere. Just beyond this plaza passengers enter the station's car loop with some parking.
From here there is a covered private entrance into the station with regular doors. These doors are beyond an even taller tower-like brick pillar designed to evoke railroad stations of the past, a circular concrete keystone says 2025, the year of the station's opening. These private doors lead to a job training center and a co-working space.
Passengers wanting Amtrak service must go around to the next section of phase 1 of the station just to the south where there is a covered entrance with Carbondale lettering that is illuminated at night. Two sets of Automatic doors (with a bench in the vestibule for passengers waiting for rides) lead into a very grand Amtrak waiting area.
This grand Amtrak area contains very tall double-height ceilings, with a non-public balcony running over the double set of doors by the station entrance. The walls are white plaster interrupted by brickwork around the lower structural pillars that hold up a series of arches that support the structure of the station's ceiling.
Passengers are greeted by a compass tiled onto the floor with brown accents that help etch out the feeling of travel.
Directly across from the entrance is the staffed Amtrak ticket office, with modern glass ticket windows (and an opening for baggage check-in for the City of New Orleans) under a sign that says Amtrak Welcomes You to Carbondale, tickets & baggage check-in. There is also a QuikTrak Machine in an alcove. To the left (along the north side of the station) is a large waiting room with plenty of benches along with signs that seating is for Amtrak passengers only. Restrooms, water fountains and Vending Machines are in this area behind this seating, farther away from the entrance doors.
To board trains passengers go slightly south and around to a short grand hallway (with no seating). This short hall (with double height ceilings) contains a temporary southern wall that outside is a blue wall clearly designed to be temporary. This false wall is currently the construction site of Phase II of the multi-modal station. The phasing of the station's location means the old AmStation had to be demolished before this phase could start. This phase will be home to offices (and proper bus bays outside) for the JAX Mass Transit, Carbondale Tourism and some SIU offices.
To reach the trains passengers walk over Carbondale etched in the marble flooring. From here passengers go out another set of automatic doors pass a couple of benches in the vestibule. These lead out to a bit of a porch area directly outside of the platform, under a curved section of canopy providing some covering. This porch area has maze-type barriers before passengers can enter the platform that station staff close unless there is a train stopped in the station and passengers are boarding or alighting.
The platform's only sign hangs from this roof, a sign in the Northeast style that says Carbondale, IL in white on a blue background. Directional arrows for New Orleans or Chicago with blue text on white are just beneath it.
Photos 1-9: May 5, 2025; 6-56: 1-80: July 4, 2025; 57-87: July 5, 2025;
