“We’re going to do a full analysis and review of this whole situation,” Brandstad said. “What are the benefits, what are the costs, what are the obligations? It’s my understanding there are state obligations and subsidies required down the road and we need to review that.”
Former and recently elected future Governor of Iowa Terry Brandstad and new Speaker of the Iowa House Paulsen are not saying no. They are not saying yes, either.
I’m surprised it took this long for him to say this. Last week he said he would try to stop spending on any project that’s in the works, but where the actual contracts commiting money haven’t been signed.
Moline, IL received I believe $10 million from government for a new station complex. If Iowa pulls out, is the whole project doomed? Will Illinois pay for service to Moline?
I think the Illinois part will happen regardless of what Iowa does. My understanding was that the Illinois part was going to happen. Iowa (under Gov. Culver) asked for the extension to Iowa City to be considered. Eventually extending the service through to Des Moines, then Omaha in years to come.
No, it would have been (see how optimistic I am) in addition to the Zephyr. I think the idea was to connect with the long distance train. Whether the Zephyr’s schedule would allow a close connection is anyone’s guess. I’m guessing it wouldn’t, but I don’t think it matters much now. More of that optimism showing.
It’s not that the incomming, former Govenor is against Amtrack running such a service. He just won’t spend any Iowa money on it.
I always thought extension of the service past Des Moines was a empty promise of a Governor whose grasp of economic matters was slight. Iowa’s population is weighted toward the eastern portion of the state and the only town of any consequence on the line between Des Moines and the Omaha area is Atlantic (population 7500).
That’s true but when Amtrak chose the former BN/CBQ route across southern Iowa back in 1970/71, it ultimately left towns like Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Waterloo and Dubuque without any meaningful rail passenger service nearby. Would love to see an extension to Omaha (that is, of course, if the Iowa City segment EVER gets done now).
You could be right about the Omaha extension just being an empty promise to just get some support. I always figured they just figured they could make connections at Omaha with the Zephyr for west coast destinations. Never taking into considerations that scheduling conflicts could cause a long layover in Omaha.
I’m surprised (well, not too much) that a Twin Cities - Kansas City train hasn’t ever received much thought. I remember seeing in a Trains article years back someone proposing this (and other route additions) to enhance the then current train routes. A north-south route on the (take your pick, it’s been called all of them at times) Spine, Short Line, Mid-Continent, or Twin Star route would go thru Des Moines. Possibly making more sense than a second east-west route across Iowa.
Oh, I know that I’d have a better chance of winning the lottery without buying a ticket than that happening. Uncle Pete would have a cow, maybe a calf too, at the thought. Just think though, you could then take the train to Mason City and see the electrics on the Iowa Traction. (Just don’t wave to the UP yard engines.[;)])
See, I even tied the discussion to an article in the current edition of Trains.
Jeff
PS, Des Moines does have a bus connection to the Zephyr at Osceola, Iowa.
If the trains run on time to make connections, the Twin Star Rocket from Kansas City to Minneapolis makes more sense as part of a national system. Perhaps knit an extension from Kansas City down to Houston through Dallas.
The Iowa City Rocket is a long commuter run. Wherever Chicago in mass goes to college within a five hour drive, there shall be a train. The State of Illinois appears to be the driving force for the Rocket.
Did it get funded? Has this been primarily a state of Illinois effort? Galena is a popular day/weekend destination from up scale Chicago suburbs. How many Chicago students attend Dubuque’s numerous small colleges?
Capital costs for Chicago-Dubuque service were not awarded by the FRA in the FY2009 and FY2010 funding rounds. Governor Quinn has stated Illinois will self-fund the service at least through an initial start-up.
Governor Quinn (Illinois) has publically committed $45 million in state funds toward initial start-up of Chicago-Moline service, should federal funds for whatever reason not be available.
Benefit-Cost and Economic Impact analyses were required by the FRA for all high-speed passenger rail grant applications. The Chicago-Iowa City service has a positive benefit-cost ratio using a 7% discount rate. The analysis was constructed with all capital, operating, and maintenance costs for 20 years, including both federal and state contributions to capital costs, and state contributions to operating and maintenance cost, and equipment and infrastructure life-cycle costs, beyond what is contributed at the farebox.
I believe you can read the full application, including the economic appendices, on line at the Iowa DOT web site.
I always thought extension of the service past Des Moines was a empty promise of a Governor whose grasp of economic matters was slight. Iowa’s population is weighted toward the eastern portion of the state and the only town of any consequence on the line between Des Moines and the Omaha area is Atlantic (population 7500).
You could be right about the Omaha extension just being an empty promise to just get some support. I always figured they just figured they could make connections at Omaha with the Zephyr for west coast destinations. Never taking into considerations that scheduling conflicts could cause a long layover in Omaha.
I’m surprised (well, not too much) that a Twin Cities - Kansas City train hasn’t ever received much thought. I remember seeing in a Trains article years back someone proposing this (and other route additions) to enhance the then current train routes. A north-south route on the (take your pick, it’s been called all of them at times) Spine, Short Line, Mid-Continent, or Twin Star route would go thru Des Moines. Possibly making more sense than a second east-west route across Iowa.
Oh, I know that I’d have a better chance of winning the lottery without buying a ticket than that happening. Uncle Pete would have a cow, maybe a calf too, at the thought. Just think though, you could then take the train to Mason City and see the electrics on the Iowa Traction. (Just don’t wave to the UP yard engines.)
See, I even tied the discussion to an article in the current edition of Trains.
An article on the proposed route from the University of Iowa student daily.
Asked what would happen if Branstad rejects plans for the Iowa City-to-Chicago train, the federal transit agency provided copies of correspondence that Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood sent this week to newly elected governors of Wisconsin and Illinois.