Illinois Department of Transportation administrators can only submit one route to the federal government, and they are inclined to pick the path that will receive the most funding. In making this decision, IDOT has leaned toward an Amtrak study which says the Genoa route would be quicker, less expensive and more popular than bringing Amtrak to Belvidere. George Weber, head of IDOT's railroad bureau says the decision is final.

Belvidere city leaders are still hoping to bring commuter rail service to their community. Amtrak will still go though Rockford and Freeport on it's way to Dubuque.

While IDOT administrators prepare their final recommendations for the federal government, Belvidere and Genoa speculate on the future.

Belvidere versus Genoa. Both towns were fighting for Amtrak. Genoa won. Patty Greenlee, a Genoa business owner thinks NIU students will come to town to catch the train.

"We're for it. We're hoping it's coming through. We think it would be good for the businesses in town." says Greenlee.

Critics say Genoa, with only 5,000 residents, is too small to support an Amtrak stop. Carolyn Tobinson of the Genoa Chamber of Commerce disagrees.

"We have a lot of people in the surrounding area now and we're growing all the time. The station they'd be putting in Belvidere would be pretty close to Rockford's station so the ridership potential up there would be less." says Tobinson.

With over 20,000 people Belvidere is much bigger, and Boone county is one of the fastest growing counties in the state. Belvidere Mayor Fred Brereton says an Amtrak route through communities like Belvidere, Marengo and Huntley would have given Rockford a much better chance in it's bid for commuter rail service. Rockford Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Einar Forsman agrees.

"I think Belvidere as well as all our other communities including Rockford are still very interested in bringing commuter rail here to our region as well and that would fit logically with Belvidere, but we think that having Amtrak and a commuter route along the same route makes the most sense." says Forsman.

IDOT will submit it's recommendation in October.

IDOT administrators say they made their decision based on technical analysis, not by lobbyists from either side.

The Chicago-Rockford Dubuque phase would cost about sixty million dollars. Service could start as early as November 2011 if federal and state funding is approved.