Amtrak notches ridership and revenue record for fiscal 2024

November 27, 2024

Trains Article Analysis - WASHINGTON — The increases weren’t large compared to pre-pandemic 2019, but more Northeast Regional frequencies enabled Amtrak to capture enough travel demand to beat the company’s previous overall record ridership in fiscal 2024. Also, a 24% gain in ticket revenue from long-distance trains compared to 2019, in spite of constricted coach and sleeping car capacity, generated a 6% rise in total revenue.

These are among the takeaways from Amtrak’s fiscal year ending Sept. 30, as revealed in the 2024 monthly performance report released late last week. A table below provides a closer look at how price and patronage interact on some services.

Table comparing Amtrak ridership and revenue in fiscal years 2019, 2023, and 2024

The money generated on trains that travel more than 750 miles (even if passengers aboard might not) is up sharply from 2019. Diminished capacity led to fewer riders on trains like the Texas Eagle, which operated with more sleeping car capacity (it had a transition sleeper) and additional coaches. The situation has recently been partially rectified [see “Amtrak adds to Texas Eagle capacity …,” Trains News Wire, July 29, 2024]. Southwest Chief patronage suffered because, until recently, it was routinely assigned only two Superliner coaches when the train previously had three or four in peak season. On the other hand, the Capitol Limited’s expansion of coach and sleeping car capacity between 2023 and 2024 paid immediate dividends. Another success story is Auto Train, the only long-distance train that maintained daily frequencies throughout the pandemic. It capitalized on higher gas prices in 2023 but marginally lost clientele in 2024 when gas prices retreated.

Added frequencies create exponential ridership gains

Hands-on management and a reliable funding commitment at the state level have allowed Virginia, North Carolina, and Maine to actively promote their service and add round trips. Price reductions coupled with more Virginia-sponsored frequencies to Norfolk and Roanoke have resulted in sustained growth, while additional Piedmonts between Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C., have made the service more relevant. Both Wisconsin’s Hiawathas and California’s Pacific Surfliner were among the operations hurt by a change in commuting patterns; landslide disruptions on the route to San Diego also injected cancellations. But the introduction of the Borealis as an extension to one of the Hiawatha round trips, providing an extra frequency on the previously once-daily Empire Builder route to the Twin Cities helped counteract that shortfall.

Capacity, frequency yields dividends

The complete document available on Amtrak’s website contains a variety of other “route level results.”

The table below, derived from that section, shows that a key factor in the Northeast Corridor’s strong performance is how the number of train starts grew from fiscal 2023 to 2024 (comparable data was not provided in the 2019 report). This was accomplished by introducing quick terminal turns with push-pull equipment for Northeast Regional trains and squeezing more departures out of an Acela fleet in which trainsets have been permanently sidelined. The small increases in the other categories were the result of Amtrak’s belated return to daily operation of some long-distance trains in the fall of 2022, and more Cascades, Piedmont, and Virginia round trips.

Table comparing Amtrak train frequencies and passenger-miles, 2023 and 2024

Also note the relationship between length of trips and frequencies. The Northeast Corridor’s 24,530 trains produced 2.5 billion passenger-miles while the long-distance network generated about 2.2 billion passenger miles with 13,047 fewer departures. Meanwhile, state-supported service delivered the fewest passenger-miles with almost 70% of the trains. While all these numbers may make eyes glaze over, they show the ways beyond ridership and revenue that Amtrak’s network can be valued.

Happy Holidays from All Aboard Minnesota!

November 25, 2024

Well, we did it!! Citizen advocacy paid off and we finally have our 2nd Twin Cities to Chicago train, the Borealis. Since All Aboard Minnesota’s inception, we have worked with you, our members and friends, to get this service started and to make your voices heard. The Minnesota Legislature fully funded the Borealis and the state share for the Twin Cities to Duluth service – Northern Lights Express (NLX). Several legislators credited the voices from AAMN and the Great River Rail Commission in turning the tide towards more rail passenger service.

Our work has continued in earnest this year, with investment in expanding our social media platforms to reach new audiences. Additionally, we’ve met with mayors, city councils, business organizations and other leaders on the St. Paul to Fargo/Moorhead corridor to extend the Borealis on a daytime schedule. We’ve met with more than 35 of these civic and business leaders, all of whom recognize and support the need for more rail passenger service in this corridor.

With the success of the Borealis, we believe the time is now for more expansion. At the time of this writing, there have been more than 120,000 riders since May (two thirds of them in the Milwaukee to St. Paul corridor alone) In addition to extending the Borealis to Fargo/Moorhead on a daytime schedule, we believe that service from the Twin Cities to Kansas City through southern Minnesota and Des Moines would greatly benefit our region. We project that 190,000 riders would patronize this route, offering connections to the Amtrak network serving Denver, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

We are grateful for your past contributions, and we ask for your continued support. This work takes volunteer time and money. If you are inspired by the accomplishments to date, and what we can do together to further expand passenger rail in our region, please consider making an end-of-year contribution to propel our mission forward.

We wish you a happy and healthy holiday season, and best wishes in 2025.

Borealis in the news!

September 12, 2024

Recently, Brian Nelson from All Aboard Minnesota was contacted by the StarTribune, the Minnesota News Network, and KVRR TV News in Fargo ND on the possibility of extending the Borealis Twin Cities to Chicago train to Fargo/Moorhead through St. Cloud, which is the same route as the Empire Builder. Extending the Borealis on a daytime schedule to Fargo/Moorhead is a service All Aboard Minnesota has been advocating and educating on for some time. Also, there is a lot of on line community support. We hope the success of the Borealis will enable its extension on this important corridor serving Minnesota and North Dakota. The stories are posted here:

StarTribune Borealis Story

Minnesota News Network Borealis Interview

KVRR TV Fargo ND

3rd Quarter Newsletter 2024

August 5, 2024

In this issue:

  • BOREALIS PERFORMANCE - Two Months Results and Trip Reports
  • EXTENDING BOREALIS TO FARGO - Outreach Plans and Report
  • FRA LONG DISTANCE STUDY - AAMN Input
  • LEGISLATIVE IMPACT - Railroad Police Bill Passed
  • SOCIAL MEDIA PROGRAM

BOREALIS EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS!

We are very excited to announce that the Borealis is off to a great start! Amtrak announced that the number of riders in June was 18,500! This means that there are approximately 300 riders each way each day. If these numbers hold, this equates to annual ridership of over 220,000! All Aboard Minnesota forecast 155,000 annual riders, and MnDOT and Amtrak forecast around 125,000.

Brian Nelson of AAMN rode the Borealis in June, and reported that the train each way was sold out with many riders in their 20-30's and many families with young children, exactly the demographic we thought would use the new service.

The Empire Builder has seen an increase in ridership this year over last year as well, and as the Twin Cities to Chicago corridor is one of the most heavily traveled on the EB, we don't believe there is much cannibalization of riders from the EB to the Borealis.

The press also noted the success, with reports in the Pioneer Press, StarTribune, and WCCO radio which interviewed Brian Nelson.

New Initiatives:

It was recently announced that Wisconsin DOT received two Corridor ID grants for the Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago corridor, which MnDOT supported:

  • New route via Madison and Eau Claire
  • Additional frequency on the current route

Possibly the continued success of the Borealis will support these additions.

Volunteer needed

We need a volunteer to record the on time performance of the Borealis. We do have a link to a site to get you started. You can do this from home in a simple chart so we can monitor why the train is late and patterns. We need this train to be on time and to succeed.

If you are iInterested or have questions: Contact - jerry.ratliff@allaboardmn.org

We will keep you posted on the Borealis success going forward.

Card given to passengers on inaugural Borealis trains

Cards given to all passengers on the inaugural runs of the Borealis

OUTREACH PROGRAM UNDERWAY TO ADVOCATE FOR FARGO EXTENSION

Striking while the iron is hot! As MnDOT is updating the state passenger rail plan, and studying the St. Paul to Fargo/Moorhead passenger rail corridor, Jerry Ratliff will be conducting in person meetings with chamber of commerce and mayors in communities along the corridor (same route as the Empire Builder). The purpose of the meetings is to educate them about the success of the Borealis and ask that they call key Minnesota legislators and MnDOT asking that the Borealis be extended from St. Paul to Fargo/Moorhead. Jerry's first report follows:

Outreach Report for July by Jerry Ratliff

After over a year in planning and with the help of many members and board members, I left Monday July 15th for a 3 day trip from St Cloud through Detroit Lakes. Before leaving I emailed all of them that I was coming and included links to our 3 min video and our Borealis extension video.

I met with 19 mayors, city managers, and chamber presidents or directors. I briefly shared the success of the Borealis and the need for them to give input into the MNDot study of the extension of the Borealis to Fargo. [reference the alert that Brian is sending out for members to complete or include link here]

I left with them a folder with key information including the 4 contacts for this study and the proposed schedule. When I got home I sent all of them the 2 pdfs of tentative schedule and the links (now electronic) to the 4 contacts for the study to add this Borealis extension.

This trip was not only intense, but very positive. I was able to connect with many civic leaders who were not aware of the train or the study. In addition, thanks to our member Dave Lingo, I had an updated email for almost all of them. But several names and addresses have changed so I need to update the spreadsheet so we can stay in touch.

On a personal note, I had great conversations answering some really basic questions, supporting their efforts to get public support, and getting to know some new people. I knew many from my 2017 Outreach visits. Finally, as much as I hate driving, I think empowering these Greater Minnesota civic leaders is not only important, but has been a key to our success. I felt energized by them. And, of course, thanks to all of those members and others who have donated time and money to make the wonderful folders I handed out. What a team effort!

FRA LONG DISTANCE STUDY IS COMPLETE

All Aboard Minnesota was one of the stakeholders for the Federal Rail Administration (FRA) Long Distance Study in the Midwest region, attended all the meetings and gave our input. The study is now complete and has been sent to Congress.

Two of the routes that we are actively advocating for are in the study, Chicago to Seattle through southern North Dakota and Montana ( route of the Northern Pacific's North Coast Limited ) which was discontinued in 1979, and Twin Cities to Houston, formerly the route of the Twin Star Rocket. Other proposed routes were Twin Cities to Denver and Twin Cities to Phoenix.

We are strong advocates of daytime service on the Empire Builder route from the Twin Cities to Fargo, extending the Borealis, and daytime Twin Cities to Kansas City service, of which both routes are included in the FRA study. You can find all the meeting materials and final report here: fralongdistancestudy.org

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!

MnDOT needs your help. Please click here to see the AAMN Alert

LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT FOR RAILROAD POLICE

Railroad Police now have the same authority as regular police officers. AAMN worked in conjunction with the CPKC Railroad to pass legislation in the Minnesota Legislature that allows Railroad Police officers the same authority as police officers. Minnesota was one of only a few states that did not grant this authority. With many communities in Minnesota facing police officer shortages, this new legislation will be very helpful to ensure that Railroad Police can take actions to keep railroad property and stations safe. AAMN called on the Governor and House Speaker Melissa Hortman, amongst other legislators to support the bill, and it worked!

SOCIAL MEDIA PROGRAM UPDATE

As we have noted before, in April All Aboard Minnesota embarked on robust Social Media campaign and expanded to three new channels, Instagram, Twitter(X) and TikToc. The main purpose of the campaign was to really tout the beginning of the Borealis and news about it to keep in front and center in the public eye. Since this is our first new rail passenger service since 1975, we are doing everything we can to promote the service to make it a success. Since starting the new social media push, we have noted much more engagement on Facebook and have built a great following on TikToc. Additionally, we are reaching new audiences with this campaign, especially through Twitter. The campaign ends in early October, and we will make decisions then about ongoing activities. Thanks to all of you who have liked, commented and have been engaged with our new social media campaign.

Click the Post to Take a Look!

Take a Look at a July Update!

MnDOT seeks your input!

July 30, 2024

Now is your chance! MnDOT is in the process of updating the Minnesota State Rail Passenger Plan and is seeking input from the public. See their email and links for input below. All Aboard Minnesota is actively educating and advocating for extending the Borealis on a daytime schedule to Fargo/Moorhead on the current Empire Builder route through St. Cloud, and new service from the Twin Cities to Kansas City through southern Minnesota and Des Moines. These two routes alone would serve about 70% of the states population (50 mile radius of each route) and provide significant east-west and north-south connections for Minnesotans. Please support us in our advocacy for these routes with your input. Thank you for your time and participation!

MnDOT Email -

The MN State Rail Plan needs your input

Thank you to everyone who has participated in the Minnesota State Rail Plan update process thus far. We still need your input!

The Minnesota State Rail Plan addresses a variety of topics important to the future of rail including safety, economic development and possible expansion of passenger rail. With more than 4,000 miles of freight and passenger rail lines in the state, the MSRP provides an overall vision for future development of the rail system and identifies priority rail corridors.

Take our passenger rail survey

Our current survey focuses on passenger rail with a goal of understanding needs for improved connectivity, safety and sustainability. Your input is critical to ensuring that the Minnesota State Rail Plan reflects the needs and priorities of our communities. By taking this survey, you will have a direct hand in crafting a transportation system that serves the needs of Minnesotans and shapes the future of passenger rail in Minnesota.

How to participate

More information

To learn more, visit the plan webpage at: talk.dot.state.mn.us/state-rail-plan.

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MnDOT invites and encourages participation by all people in their programs, services and activities. If you need an ASL, a foreign language interpreter, or documents in an alternative format (such as braille, large print or in a different language) at no cost, please email your request to Janet Miller at ADArequest.dot@state.mn.us or call 651-366-4720. Relay service: 711.

If you need any other reasonable accommodation to participate (such as seating modification or auxiliary aids), please email your request to Accessibility.DOT@state.mn.us or call 1-833-400-8432. Relay service: 711.

Borealis Festivities at SPUD May 21! Join Us!

May 18, 2024

ACTION OPPORTUNITY!

The Long Awaited 2nd Train "BOREALIS" makes its inaugural run on Tuesday 5/21!

A Celebration is planned including an opportunity to view and visit the train.

Here are the event details and how you can help AAMN show support for the new service

Where:

Saint Paul Union Depot

240 E. Kellogg Blvd. Saint Paul MN

Schedule:

  • 9:00 - 10:15 am Optional Public Tours of Borealis Trainset
  • 10:45- Event begins with welcome and comments by Government and Amtrak officials
  • 11:22 Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner remarks
  • 11:25 Ribbon Cutting (AAMN President Brian Nelson will participate)
  • 11:30 Board Borealis
  • 11:50 Train Departs

If You Come - What You Can Do to Show AAMN Support!

  • When you arrive: Look for the AAMN banner on the West Side of the concourse opposite Gate A
  • Pick up a button
  • Wear the button during your visit
  • At 10:30 or before gather by the BOREALIS banner for an AAMN Group Photo

What about the first arrival of BOREALIS Westbound?

No Formal Event is Planned but several of us will greet the train and welcome travelers to the Twin Cities. You are welcome to join us. The Borealis is scheduled to arrive at 6:29 pm

Please check in with Tom Beaumont near Gate C by 6:15.

He will have buttons and materials to distribute

These will be good opportunities to show AAMN's commitment and support for Passenger Rail in Minnesota and the Midwest!

If you plan to attend these festivities, please let us know at allaboardminnesota@gmail.com

The New 2nd Daily Twin Cities - Chicago Passenger Train Begins!

May 1, 2024

We have just learned that the 2nd Train to Chicago will begin May 21, 2024! This is the first new passenger train service Minnesota has seen since the discontinuation of the North Star passenger train to Duluth in 1985! The new train is named "Borealis" and is available for booking on Amtrak's website.

This new daily dedicated passenger train will originate at St. Paul Union Depot and departs at 11:50am and will arrive in Chicago at 7:14pm. Westbound, the new train will depart Chicago at 11:05am, and arrive at St. Paul Union Depot at 6:29pm. It serves the same route as the Empire Builder.

This schedule compliments the existing Amtrak long distance Empire Builder train which departs St. Paul eastbound for Chicago at 8:50am and arrives in Chicago at 4:45pm. Westbound, the Empire Builder departs Chicago at 3:05pm and arrives in St. Paul, MN at 10:56pm. The Borealis schedule is approximately 30 minutes faster than the Empire Builder in both directions.

This is a huge deal for Minnesotans, and it's something All Aboard Minnesota has worked towards for the past ten years! Citizen advocacy has paid off in this instance, and we thank all of our members and friends who have spoken out to local and state officials to make this happen! We also sincerely thank our state legislators to provide funding for this service and begin building out multi-modal transportation choices for Minnesotans.

We need to make the Borealis a success, as it will lead to more service around the state and connecting us to the upper Midwest we strongly believe. Tell your neighbors, friends, family, and anyone else you can think of! This is an exciting event and development for our transportation future and increasing passenger rail travel options.

There will be an event at St. Paul Union Depot for the first run and we will keep you posted with details. Join us for the first departure at St. Paul Union Depot! Several of us plan to be there at approximately 10:30am to give the first run a great send off!

Additionally, All Aboard Minnesota is actively promoting the new service with notifications, Press Releases, Podcasts, Facebook posts, a new video, and more. Stay tuned and we will keep you posted on the success of this train.

Thank you again for all of your help and support. Most importantly, on your next trip to Wisconsin and/or Illinois, ride this new train if you possibly can!

MnDOT is asking for your input for the state rail plan! Join us!

April 17, 2024

This invitation from MnDOT below provides AAMN members with an opportunity to attend meetings to discuss the update of the State Rail Plan. Please consider attending one of the meetings and expressing your support for AAMN Passenger rail priorities, including:

  • Getting the 2nd train to Chicago underway

  • Studying the extension of the 2nd train to Fargo/Moorhead

  • Implementing the NLX to Duluth

  • Including the Twin Cities - Des Moines-Kansas City Route and other Long distance routes proposed by the FRA in the State Rail Plan

  • including new proposed corridor routes from Chicago & Eau Claire

Thanks for your support of Passenger Rail and your membership in AAMN!

AAMN Board of Directors

Join us for a public meeting in St. Cloud, Duluth, St. Paul or Mankato!

MnDOT is updating the Minnesota State Rail Plan and as the ultimate beneficiary of this work, we want to hear from you. We are hosting a series of public meetings to provide you with an opportunity to learn about rail plans in Minnesota, provide feedback on rail services and potential impacts and areas of concern.

Upcoming public meeting dates and locations include:

Where:

When:

Duluth
Lake Superior Railroad Museum
506 W Michigan St.
Duluth, MN 55802

Wednesday, April 17, 2024
5-7 p.m.

St. Paul
Union Depot
214 4th St. E.
St. Paul, MN 55101

Wednesday, April 24, 2025
5-7 p.m.

Mankato
Blue Earth County Historical Society
424 Warren St.
Mankato, MN 56001

Thursday, April 25, 2024
5-7 p.m.

More information

To learn more, visit the State Rail Plan webpage and take the State Rail Plan Public Engagement Survey.

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MnDOT invites and encourages participation by all people in their programs, services and activities. If you need an ASL, a foreign language interpreter, or documents in an alternative format (such as braille, large print or in a different language) at no cost, please email your request to Janet Miller at ADArequest.dot@state.mn.us or call 651-366-4720. Relay service: 711.

If you need any other reasonable accommodation to participate (such as seating modification or auxiliary aids), please email your request to Accessibility.DOT@state.mn.us or call 1-833-400-8432. Relay service: 711.

All Aboard Minnesota Supports New Legislation for Railroad Police

April 5, 2024

Legislation has been introduced this session to license Railroad Police Officers as Peace Officers in Minnesota. All Aboard Minnesota strongly supports this legislation, we urge you to contact your legislator and the Governor's office to ask for their support. We have sent letters to Rep. Hornstein, Speaker Hortman, the Governor, and have copied MnDOT and Amtrak Government Affairs.

Here is the letter we sent to Governor Walz:

Dear Governor Walz:

We urge you to support HF 1718/SF1786, which authorizes railroad police as peace officers. In November of 2023, we reported crime and other problematic issues at St. Paul Union Depot which were documented by an Amtrak employee at that time and reports from our members and friends. We believe these issues are ongoing. Making railroad police licensed peace officers is integral to keeping tracks safe from obstructions and vandalism as well as protecting passengers.

With over half of Minnesota police departments understaffed and increasing amounts of passenger rail that are planned for Minnesota, the need for officers to protect the rail network from crime and vandalism and promote safety has grown. This legislation comes at no extra cost in dollar or resources to the state, counties, or cities. For these reasons we ask that you support HF 1718/SF 1786. We all have worked hard to bring more passenger rail in Minnesota, and you have been instrumental in making that happen. We believe that rail passengers must have a safe experience and we believe this bill can assure that will happen.

The Police Chief of Winona, home of an Amtrak station, states, “Our department has had the opportunity to work directly with the railroad police and have found them to be extremely courteous, professional, and welltrained. As a local law enforcement agency, we would also welcome the additional resources of the railroad police to assist us with police response and equipment.” Every state in the US that hosts passenger trains has allowed for licensed railroad peace officers, except Minnesota. It is time for Minnesota to add this essential element of rail safety.

Quarter 1, 2024 Newsletter

February 27, 2024

In this issue:

  • FRA Reveals Proposed New Long Distance Routes- see map below
  • Amtrak Issues RFP for Long Distance Equipment
  • 2nd Twin Cities-Chicago Train Update
  • St. Paul Union Train Days June 1-2

1. FRA Reveals Proposed New Long Distance Routes

On Feb 14, the FRA revealed in the third stakeholder meeting (AAMN is part of the stakeholder group), their Proposed Network of Preferred Routes. The study is for the proposed resumption of long distance routes only that were run by Amtrak but since discontinued, non-daily long distance routes (Cardinal and Sunset), and routes that ran prior to Amtrak's creation in 1971.

The FRA studied traffic flow patterns between urban and rural areas to determine where routes should be added to the current long distance system for geographic regions that are not served by rail passenger service today. To evaluate the range of route options, four major categories of criteria were used:

1. Metro Travel Flows
2. Rural Access
3. Overall Geographic Coverage
4. Stakeholder Input

For Minnesota and the Upper Mid-West, this proposed network of preferred routes has some major implications. Twin Cities to Denver was identified as a major market travel flow, along with Twin Cities to the Southwest and Texas.

The FRA proposed new long distance routes for Minnesota and the Upper Mid-West Include:

1. Restoration of the North Coast Hiawatha from Chicago to Seattle, routing through Minnesota (current Empire Builder route) southern North Dakota and Montana (route of Northern Pacific's North Coast Limited).

2. Twin Cities to San Antonio Texas, routing through Albert Lea, MN, Des Moines, IA, Kansas City, MO Tulsa, OK, Dallas/Fort Worth, TX.

3. Twin Cities to Phoenix, AZ, routing through Sioux Falls, SD, Omaha, NE, Kansas City, MO, Newton, KS, Albuquerque, NM, Flagstaff, AZ

4. Twin Cities to Denver, routing through Sioux Falls, and Pierre, SD, Cheyenne, WY


​​​​


All Aboard Minnesota applauds the FRA's innovative thinking to serve currently underserved regions of the country, especially in the West and Upper-Midwest. In total, 15 new and restored routes are proposed. If implemented, they would add 23,000 more long distance route miles, serve 19M more people across the country and serve 89% of the total US population.

This is a major step, but a first step only. Holistic service plans for all these routes will need to be conducted, and the timeline for implementation for any of these routes is at least 10 years or more away.

The next steps are to conduct the final stakeholder meeting in late May, in which the FRA will reveal their modeling of costs and benefits of the proposed routes, implementation schedules, and present the final long distance study recommendation. After this meeting, the final report will be submitted to Congress. This is the first major plan the FRA has conducted for restoration and addition of new long distance routes and is an exciting step. We will keep you posted as the study and final recommendations evolve.

The FRA is soliciting feedback through March 8, so please provide your thoughts. Here is a link to the FRA Long Distance Study Website where you can provide feedback and read the Stakeholder Meeting Materials;

FRA Long Distance Study

2. Amtrak Issues Long Distance Equipment RFP - But There are Concerns

In December 2023, Amtrak issued an RFP to replace equipment for long-distance trains, some of which has been in service since 1979. While we applaud this move, we are concerned that the number of out of service cars for long distance trains is now at an all time high. For example, the Empire Builder continues to run one coach short compared to pre-Covid consists. Many other long distance trains are running with reduced consists also, limiting ridership and revenue potential.

Amtrak has announced that it has recently spent $28M on long distance equipment, but this is largely a cosmetic refresh. Many Superliner 1 (the equipment delivered 1979-81) and Viewliner 1 cars need major mechanical overhauls to keep operating reliably. New long distance equipment delivery at the earliest is 8-10 years away, and we are concerned that more cars could be taken out of service, which could threaten daily service on long distance routes.

AAMN has met with Minnesota's US Congressional Delegation to voice these concerns and ask for the US Congress to hold Amtrak management accountable to run the long distance network properly.

James Tilley, President, Florida Coalition of Rail Passengers, recently addressed a letter to Amtrak Board Chair Anthony Coscia outlining some recommendations on how Amtrak can keep the current fleet viable until new equipment arrives.

Click here to read his letter: Tilley Letter


3. 2nd Twin Cities to Chicago Train Update

AAMN recently learned that the operating agreements between Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Amtrak, and Canadian Pacific Railway are being negotiated and are possibly nearing completion, which is great news! WisDot announced at at Wisconsin Association of Railroad Passengers meeting in early February that the service will be called the "Borealis". Contacts at Amtrak have told us that the 2nd train will begin operation with refurbished Horizon equipment. Having recently ridden a corridor train with this type of equipment, we can definitely state that it was quite comfortable and attractive. All Aboard Minnesota will stay on top of this developing situation. Once we know when service begins we will publicize the start date and plan to be on-site at St. Paul Union Depot for the first run! Stay Tuned! ​


4. St. Paul Union Depot Train Days, June 1-2

St. Paul Union Depot will be hosting Train Days on June 1-2, 10am-4pm both days. AAMN will be there and we would love it if you could stop by and talk with us. Share your recent Amtrak experiences, and your thoughts on passenger rail developments in Minnesota. We will certainly share our thoughts with you!

The event is posted on our website with a full description on the Events Page