North Dakota eyes possible Amtrak route return
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(Prairie News Service) This week, federal officials announced a new round of funding for passenger rail projects. It is part of a larger push to expand and restore service, including an old Amtrak route which once made stops in North Dakota.
The $1 billion in total grants is part of a larger rail funding pool under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is helping restore a former route connecting Chicago to the Pacific Northwest, which ran until the late 1970s. The reinstated line would bring back service along the route to cities such as Bismarck.
Dave Strohmaier, chairman of the authority, said they were awarded seed money last year and remain hopeful about what lies ahead.
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"The addition, the restoration of this passenger rail service would make a big difference to the economies, to the opportunities for transportation options for small and large communities along this route," Strohmaier contended.
There's an Amtrak route still operating across northern North Dakota, but Strohmaier said bringing back stops to the southern half helps communities with tourism, while getting rural residents to medical appointments in larger cities. He noted a small percentage of riders travel the entire multistate route.
The latest funding is for competitive grants. Regional leaders indicate they will bypass this round because it doesn't align with their effort. More funding will be needed once they move past the planning stage.
As for tourism, Strohmaier noted reinstating this service would also coincide with the planned opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in western North Dakota in the coming years. He described it as a match made in heaven.
"What a great way to travel -- in the same manner in which Theodore Roosevelt traveled many, many decades ago to the great state of North Dakota," Strohmaier stressed.
Project leaders added the new project would not disrupt North Dakota's current Amtrak route, the Empire Builder. Strohmaier said if all the stars align, the restored service could be up and running within the next decade. Potential complications include overcoming a shortage of manufactured train cars in the U.S.
