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Wisconsin, Minnesota studying expansion of Amtrak service
Extending the second CHI-MSP train to St. Cloud shows somebody is finally thinking outside the box but I would suggest running it to Fargo.
Walker, like all governors is a transient and not elected for life. He too, shall pass from the scene and like most governors, folks will have difficulty in the coming years, remembering his name. The fact that plans are proceeding without him, to get the ducks in a row, in of itself, speaks volumes about his comparatively brief tenure as well as his donating money to Illinois high speed rail by being contrary to ordinary. to make a name for himself that no one will remember anyway, whilst they enjoy high speed service in if not now, future years. A pretty safe bet.
Wisconsin Governor Walker isn’t the problem; indeed, his rejection of money designated for passenger rail in Wisconsin has benefited Illinois greatly. Amtrak now hits 110 mph on part of it’s journey from Chicago to St. Louis, and this is due in large part to Gov. Walker favoring the citizens of Illinois over his citizens of Wisconsin. Most governors tend to look after their own citizens, but those of us in Illinois are very thankful that Walker is willing to give us Wisconsin money.
The business leaders of Chicago, the economic engine of the entire Midwest, understand that bringing our transportation system into the 21st century is absolutely essential if we are to compete with Europe and Asia. The choice is clear: either invest in passenger rail so that our employees can be productive during travel time or become irrelevant in the 21st century economy.
I’d rather see early morning departures from the Twin Cities and Chicago around 8am to arrive around 4pm in the respective cities. perhaps even using the old CB&Q route.
I’ll be there with my reasons for that extension to UofW Madison
Walker isn’t the problem. Fiscal responsibility is the problem. So far in over 40 years of continuously losing money and requiring massive government subsidies for the very few people who ride Amtrak, relative to other modes of transportation, Amtrak has demonstrated that it is 100% perfect at being fiscally irresponsible faster than the government can spend what it steals from those who never use Amtrak and will never use Amtrak. Amtrak is not a real railroad. If it was, it would show an evil profit like a real railroad and would not need to go to socialist government begging for more money to replace what is broken, as it could get these funds from the evil profit. At best it is a government subsidized cruise ship operation that just happens to have steel wheels and goes overland or a commuter railroad which should be turned over to the individual states. At worst it is a full scale model railroad for Congress to play with on those days when it is raining at the Washington playground sandbox.
I think the title meant “Wisconsin, Illinois…” and anyway, I find it funny that all of the sudden the same state which under Walker threw out HSR cash is now all of the sudden game for passenger expansion.
Like Bill Snorteland’s thinking.
Leave it to Goosie, as if every other transportation system is not subsidized. Look, adding extra lanes to highways is extremely expensive, especially when they run through urbanized areas. Rail right of way are already in place and often have had one or two tracks removed. Rail equipment generally lasts longer, saving replacement costs in the long run. Last, many smaller markets have lost air service and would welcome passenger service for business and pleasure trips. I don’t like paying taxes any more than the next person, but at least with Amtrak, I believe that I am getting my money’s worth.
I hope this project goes beyond the “study” stage.
More frequencies Milwaukee-Chicago are very much needed, as is a second daily Twin Cities (ok apparently St. Cloud)-Chicago round trip. But as long as Mr. Highway (Scott Walker) is governor of Wisconsin, both of these projects are DOA.
Wonder if the WI DOT has talked to Hunter about this plan?
I really think the people of Wisconsin need to talk to the gov. first.
Robert Nickles, the governor and the state department of transportation have been putting money into existing freight and passenger rail corridors. We can debate until Jewett interurbans call at Ravinia Park again whether the Madison train was killed by talk-radio propaganda or by a failure of Passenger Rail advocates to make the right case for it. For now, a restoration of the Summer 1974 Amtrak schedules, with a daily service from St. Cloud or Fargo through the Cities to Chicago strikes me as a promising development. Look at those schedules, also, for an attempt to provide late evening departures at Milwaukee and Chicago.
Mr. Dodds, did you miss the half of the article that was about Minnesota?
Increasing to 90. Anybody remember that the Milwaukee Road had a speed restriction in the timetable, slow to 90 at Rondout?
The fiscally prudent Governor of Wisconsin has already staked a very public position in favor of expanding Hiawatha service and was in favor of the $8 million spent on the line already. He was against the steep conditions of the $800 million and rightfully so. Illinois might get 110 mph service before Wisconsin but it took the highest cost approach to get there and despite the largest tax increase in illinois state history it is still in the hole financially and might not meet the conditions / timetable it previously agreed to in accepting the Federal money. If illinois misses the timetable or cannot meet the conditions of the stimulus money acceptance, the stimulus money turns into a loan which has to be paid back to the Federal government with interest. Good Luck Illinois with the indebtedness and your ability to attract future business. Wisconsin’s approach is smarter and cheaper.
So they plan to increase speed to 90 on the Hiawathas. Back in 1943 - 1945 I was in the Army Air Force at Truax Field, Madison. I rode the Hiawatha several times on my way back from Chicago to the base. Seventy years ago we left Chicago at 1 p.m. and arrived in Milwaukee at 2:15 traveling considerably faster than 90 – and smoothly too. The connecting train to Madison was slower but not much slower. Progress?
I guess over 31 million passengers is a few to someone in make believe land.