Amtrak · Chicago, IL – Quincy, IL
Carl Sandburg Cell Service & Coverage Map
Modeled coverage on board the Carl Sandburg, Chicago, IL to Quincy, IL. On the train, AT&T has the most solid coverage at 85% of the route, ahead of Verizon (84%) and T-Mobile (82%). Amber stretches are spotty: signal often works but may drop. AT&T's longest true dead zone runs about 0 miles between Macomb and Quincy.
The whole line at a glance
Quincy, IL on the left, Chicago, IL on the right. Scroll sideways on a phone. Hover a band for its mileposts. Verizon, on the train.
Carriers compared on the train
| Carrier | Coverage mix | Solid | Spotty | 5G | Dead-zone miles | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Best on board | 85% | 15% | 52% | 0 | 0.3 mi | |
| Verizon | 84% | 16% | 30% | 0 | 0.3 mi | |
| T-Mobile | 82% | 17% | 72% | 1 | 0.5 mi |
Coverage summary
Verizon · On the train (in-vehicle model)
of the route has solid Verizon service on the train, plus 16% spotty
has modeled 5G; 21% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), between Macomb and Quincy
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Naperville and Plano
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 20.9%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 9.4%
- 4G LTE 53.9%
- Spotty (outdoor-strength only) 15.7%
- No modeled coverage 0.1%
Verizon · Outdoor model
of the route has solid Verizon service outdoors
has modeled 5G; 57% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), between Macomb and Quincy
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Princeton and Kewanee
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 57.0%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 6.1%
- 4G LTE 36.8%
- No modeled coverage 0.1%
AT&T · On the train (in-vehicle model)
of the route has solid AT&T service on the train, plus 15% spotty
has modeled 5G; 41% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), between Macomb and Quincy
longest unbroken covered stretch, near Naperville, IL
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 40.7%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 11.0%
- 4G LTE 33.1%
- Spotty (outdoor-strength only) 15.1%
- No modeled coverage 0.1%
AT&T · Outdoor model
of the route has solid AT&T service outdoors
has modeled 5G; 62% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), between Macomb and Quincy
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Princeton and Kewanee
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 61.8%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 15.1%
- 4G LTE 23.0%
- No modeled coverage 0.1%
T-Mobile · On the train (in-vehicle model)
of the route has solid T-Mobile service on the train, plus 17% spotty
has modeled 5G; 54% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), between Macomb and Quincy
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Naperville and Plano
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 53.9%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 17.7%
- 4G LTE 10.5%
- Spotty (outdoor-strength only) 17.3%
- No modeled coverage 0.6%
Plan downloads and calls around Macomb–Quincy (1.4 mi without coverage).
T-Mobile · Outdoor model
of the route has solid T-Mobile service outdoors
has modeled 5G; 93% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), between Macomb and Quincy
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Princeton and Kewanee
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 93.1%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 5.3%
- 4G LTE 0.9%
- No modeled coverage 0.7%
Plan downloads and calls around Macomb–Quincy (1.7 mi without coverage).
Station to station
In timetable order from Chicago, IL. Distances are along the track. Follows the carrier and model selected on the map.
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → La Grange | 14 | 100% | 51% | — | |
| La Grange → Naperville | 15 | 100% | 62% | — | |
| Naperville → Plano | 23 | 100% | 55% | — | |
| Plano → Mendota | 31 | 88% | 37% | — | |
| Mendota → Princeton | 22 | 74% | 12% | — | |
| Princeton → Kewanee | 27 | 70% | 28% | — | |
| Kewanee → Galesburg | 31 | 81% | 30% | — | |
| Galesburg → Macomb | 40 | 95% | 33% | — | |
| Macomb → Quincy | 56 | 72% | 9% | 0.3 mi |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → La Grange | 14 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| La Grange → Naperville | 15 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Naperville → Plano | 23 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Plano → Mendota | 31 | 100% | 93% | — | |
| Mendota → Princeton | 22 | 100% | 39% | — | |
| Princeton → Kewanee | 27 | 100% | 68% | — | |
| Kewanee → Galesburg | 31 | 100% | 73% | — | |
| Galesburg → Macomb | 40 | 100% | 50% | — | |
| Macomb → Quincy | 56 | 99% | 23% | 0.3 mi |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → La Grange | 14 | 100% | 98% | — | |
| La Grange → Naperville | 15 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Naperville → Plano | 23 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Plano → Mendota | 31 | 89% | 58% | — | |
| Mendota → Princeton | 22 | 85% | 33% | — | |
| Princeton → Kewanee | 27 | 76% | 12% | — | |
| Kewanee → Galesburg | 31 | 90% | 48% | — | |
| Galesburg → Macomb | 40 | 67% | 22% | — | |
| Macomb → Quincy | 56 | 83% | 54% | 0.3 mi |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → La Grange | 14 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| La Grange → Naperville | 15 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Naperville → Plano | 23 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Plano → Mendota | 31 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Mendota → Princeton | 22 | 100% | 74% | — | |
| Princeton → Kewanee | 27 | 100% | 43% | — | |
| Kewanee → Galesburg | 31 | 100% | 72% | — | |
| Galesburg → Macomb | 40 | 100% | 50% | — | |
| Macomb → Quincy | 56 | 99% | 82% | 0.3 mi |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → La Grange | 14 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| La Grange → Naperville | 15 | 96% | 86% | — | |
| Naperville → Plano | 23 | 100% | 98% | — | |
| Plano → Mendota | 31 | 78% | 70% | — | |
| Mendota → Princeton | 22 | 65% | 58% | — | |
| Princeton → Kewanee | 27 | 81% | 65% | — | |
| Kewanee → Galesburg | 31 | 90% | 78% | — | |
| Galesburg → Macomb | 40 | 84% | 64% | — | |
| Macomb → Quincy | 56 | 71% | 61% | 0.5 mi |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → La Grange | 14 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| La Grange → Naperville | 15 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Naperville → Plano | 23 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Plano → Mendota | 31 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Mendota → Princeton | 22 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Princeton → Kewanee | 27 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Kewanee → Galesburg | 31 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Galesburg → Macomb | 40 | 100% | 97% | — | |
| Macomb → Quincy | 56 | 97% | 95% | 0.7 mi |
Carl Sandburg cell service FAQ
Does the Carl Sandburg have cell service?
For most of the trip, yes. Inside the train, solid coverage (the FCC's in-vehicle model) reaches 85% for AT&T, 84% for Verizon, 82% for T-Mobile of the 258-mile route from Chicago, IL to Quincy, IL. Much of the rest is spotty rather than dead: AT&T has some signal on 100%, Verizon has some signal on 100%, T-Mobile has some signal on 99%.
Which carrier is best on the Carl Sandburg?
AT&T has the most modeled on-train coverage (85%), with 5G on 52% of the route. Verizon covers 84% and T-Mobile covers 82%.
Where is the longest dead zone on the Carl Sandburg?
AT&T: about 0 miles between Macomb and Quincy. Verizon: about 0 miles between Macomb and Quincy. T-Mobile: about 1 miles between Macomb and Quincy.
Does Amtrak Wi-Fi work on the Carl Sandburg?
Amtrak Wi-Fi relies on cellular networks, so it generally weakens or drops in the same places your phone does. Expect it to be unreliable through the dead zones shown on this map.
How accurate is this coverage map?
It reflects carrier-reported modeled coverage published by the FCC (data as of Dec 31, 2025). It is not an onboard measurement. BarTrakr shows the FCC's in-vehicle model by default; the outdoor model is available with the Outdoor switch.
Can I use BarTrakr on the train without signal?
Yes. Tap “Save for offline” before you board. The route, coverage data and map background up to zoom 10 are stored on your device, and live tracking uses your phone's GPS, which works without cell service.
About this data
- Coverage: FCC Broadband Data Collection mobile coverage for Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, release D25 (as of Dec 31, 2025, published Oct 13, 2026).
- Route: U.S. DOT / BTS National Transportation Atlas Database, Amtrak Routes. Stations and stop order: Amtrak GTFS.
- On the train: colored where the FCC in-vehicle model shows coverage; amber (spotty) where only the outdoor model does; red where neither does.
- Stretches shorter than a quarter mile are merged into their neighbors; at train speed they last only seconds.