North Coast Hiawatha picks up new steam as Montana Rail Link ends BNSF lease

Seventeen Montana counties have signed on to adding more passenger rail after Democratic Senator Jon Tester sponsored funding for restoration of the North Coast Hiawatha in President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan. 

The effort is for a 'corridor train' and is not intended to compete with the Empire Builder which operates in the northernmost parts of Montana. Lewis and Clark County is home to the state capital and has yet to support the concept citing lack of service while Yellowstone County, the state's most populous, is holding out for more money. 

Missoula-based Montana Rail Link is ending its lease of BNSF Railway trackbed, news that signals hope to County Commissioner and Big Sky Rail Authority President Dave Strohmaier. 

“The more rural, sparsely populated counties are most enthusiastic about this because it provides them an opportunity to do commerce, to engage with the broader region that they just they just simply do not have now,” he said. “One hundred million dollars is estimated to accrue in economic benefits along this route per year during the startup phase,” said Stohmaier. The Amtrak study also backs that up, suggesting there is an economic net to be had for passenger rail, generating a safe and environmentally friendly travel option for the ever-growing number of visitors heading to Yellowstone National Park. As far as the changes with Montana Rail Link, federal law requires freight carriers to collaborate with Amtrak to provide passenger rail service. [KTVQ teevee]

On Thursday Strohmaier announced he was planning to seek re-election for the District 2 board seat.

It's not in President Biden's rail plan but if someday Amtrak, Colorado's Democratic congressional delegation and the Southwest Chief & Front Range Passenger Rail Commission connect the Chief at Pueblo or Trinidad to the Empire Builder at Shelby, Montana through Denver and Cheyenne, Wyoming it would intersect the North Coast Hiawatha at Laurel or Billings, Montana.

Learn more at the Billings Gazette.
 

ip photo: the New Mexico Rail Runner (right) and the engine of the Santa Fe Southern Railway idle in the Santa Fe Railyard.

“Fund a bullet train to move consumers from Santa Fe to Las Cruces to Mexico and Colorado, creating a commerce hub from New Mexico’s cities to Colorado’s market with 5.759 million consumers, and Juárez’ and the state of Chihuahua with 3,741,869 consumers.” https://t.co/z1T4xRxA8M

— interested party (@larry_kurtz) December 27, 2021