Hello All Aboard Minnesota Members -

The MnDot State Rail Passenger office recently submitted a 2018 capital funding request to Governor Mark Dayton for $1 million to complete environmental work and service planning for the second train frequency between the Twin Cities and Chicago.  An additional $3million was requested for the state's share of the final design.  This funding is essential for continued passenger rail corridor development for this expanded service.

You may have seen an article published in the StarTribune recently about legislators efforts to stop high speed rail passenger planning between the Twin Cities and Chicago.  We are advocating for the additional conventional passenger rail passenger service, not high speed rail.

If the $4 million is included in the Governor's proposed budget,  it will give the state rail passenger office hope that funding could be available to continue the vital planning work for the second conventional passenger train frequency.

• PLEASE CALL GOVERNOR DAYTON, AND TELL HIM TO INCLUDE THE MnDOT STATE RAIL PLANNING OFFICE REQUEST OF $1 MILLION AND $3 MILLION TO CONTINUE THEIR WORK FOR EXPANDED PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE.  
• The Governor's phone is:  651-201-3400 

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The Governor's budget is scheduled to be released on January 16, 2018, so it is imperative you contact him this week.

We were instrumental in our calling campaign to restore funding just to keep the State Rail Passenger office open during last years session, so we do make a vital difference!  Your voices are heard!

Thank you for taking action and making this important call.
All Aboard Minnesota Board of Directors

P.S.  We have posted this alert on our Facebook page as well.

www.allaboardmn.org

The fall “all-member” meeting of All Aboard Minnesota will be held
on Saturday, November 18, 2017.  YOU are invited!

Find out about all the exciting initiatives happening around passenger rail in Minnesota! We need you to make it all happen!   See below for details.

The meeting will be held at Christ the King Lutheran Church, located on 8600 Freemont Ave, South in Bloomington,  MN. Go in the main entrance on the south side of the church, walk straight back and down the hall on the left to the lounge.  There will be signs to direct you.

For directions to the church, please click on this link:  http://www.ctkb.org/contact-us/

Timing:

• Doors will open at 9:00am Refreshments will be provided.
• The meeting will begin at 9:30am
• Will conclude at 12:00noon.  A light lunch will be provided.

We have an exciting agenda planned including: 

• Outreach plans for 2018 - we are going to get legislators phones to ring, learn how!
• Speakers:
  
  • ​Dan Krom - Director MnDot State Rail passenger office - Update 
  • Alice Hausman - MN House Rep and DFL lead for the Transportation Finance Committee - update on funding for passenger rail and the 2018 legislative outlook
  • Anne Buckvold - community organizer in the St. Cloud area - what works for our cause
• Working committees - we need your help - learn how you can get involved according to your interest!  

We will break into the following committees to organize and move our cause forward
(there will be opportunities to participate in numerous areas for those who might be interested).  A board member will describe what we need for each committee and ask for your input as we move these committees into 2018:    

• Membership  
• Legislative
• Communications
• Outreach 

Members are asked to RSVP in advance Reservations will be accepted up until
Thursday November 16.  Please rsvp your reservation to AAMN at:

Email;  allaboardminnesota@gmail.com;

Or, please call 612-781-2894 and leave a message 

We are excited to see you.  Together, we can expand passenger rail for Minnesota and the upper mid-west!

www.allaboardmn.org

The spring “all-member” meeting of All Aboard Minnesota will be held
on Saturday, April 29, and… YOU are invited!

We are fighting to save passenger rail in Minnesota! We need you!   See below for details.

The meeting will be held at Christ the King Lutheran Church, located on 8600 Freemont Ave, South in Bloomington,  MN.

• Doors will open at 9:00am 
• The meeting will begin at 9:30am
• Will conclude at 12:00noon.  Go in the main entrance on the south side of the church, walk straight back and down the hall on the left to the lounge.  There will be signs to direct you.

Refreshments will be provided in the morning, and at 12:00noon, we will provide a light lunch.  For directions, please click on this
link:  http://www.ctkb.org/contact-us/

We have an exciting agenda planned including:  

• The All Aboard Minnesota board has been busy on the state and federal level legislative front-we will give an update on what we know, what we have done, and what actions we plan to take 
  • ​We will share an interesting survey results about passenger rail in Minnesota  
• Working committees - we need your help - All Aboard Minnesota is forming member committees, learn how you can get involved according to your interest!  

We will break into the following committees to organize and move our cause forward
(there will be opportunities to participate in numerous areas for those who might be interested).  A board member will describe what we need for each committee and ask for your input as we form these:     

• Membership  
• Legislative
• Communications
• Outreach

Next Steps, Questions and Answers

Members are asked to RSVP in advance Reservations will be accepted up until
Thursday April 27.  Please rsvp your reservation to AAMN at:

Email;  allaboardminnesota@gmail.com;

Or please call 612-781-2894 and leave a message 

We are excited to see you.  Together, we can save passenger rail for Minnesota and the upper midwest!