News Bulletin - Federal Railroad Administration Announces New Passenger Rail Corridors!

Exciting Developments for Passenger Rail!

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has just revealed the routes it has selected nationwide to help state Departments of Transportation plan and expand new passenger rail routes around the country. What this means is that the Federal Railroad Administration will help and partner with state DOT's providing them with an initial $500,000 for study and planning purposes.

This is an impact directly from the Infrastructure and Jobs Act passed by US Congress two years ago.

What does this mean for Minnesota? Quite a bit actually. Here is the list of routes selected in and around Minnesota to build out new passenger rail corridors along with the descriptions provided for each corridor from the FRA:

1. The 2nd Train between the Twin Cities and Chicago. Service Expansion via La Crosse (Up to $500,000) Wisconsin Department of Transportation. The proposed corridor would initiate a new daily round trip between Chicago, IL, and St. Paul, MN to complement the existing Amtrak long-distance Empire Builder, with an extension to Minneapolis, MN. The proposed corridor would also include a study of potential additional frequencies. The corridor sponsor would enter Step 1 of the program to develop a scope, schedule, and cost estimate for preparing, completing, or documenting its service development plan. AAMN note - as we understand it, this study money will help WisDOT prepare the final design and construction documents. The 2nd Train is scheduled to begin service in 2024, maybe even this spring.

2. Northern Lights Express (Up to $500,000) Minnesota Department of Transportation. The proposed corridor would connect Minneapolis to Duluth, MN, through Cambridge and Hinckley, MN. The proposed corridor would provide new service on an existing alignment. The corridor sponsor would enter Step 1 of the program to develop a scope, schedule, and cost estimate for preparing, completing, or documenting its service development plan. AAMN note - as we understand it, this study money will help MnDOT update the Environmental Impact and Design studies last completed in 2017.

3. Milwaukee-Madison-Eau Claire-Twin Cities Corridor (Up to $500,000) Wisconsin Department of Transportation. The proposed corridor would connect Milwaukee, WI, to Minneapolis, MN through Madison and Eau Claire, WI.

4. Eau Claire-Twin Cities Corridor (Up to $500,000) Eau Claire County, MN. The proposed corridor would connect St. Paul to Eau Claire, MN.

5. North Coast Hiawatha (Up to $500,000) Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority. The proposed corridor would restore a connection between Chicago, IL, and Seattle, WA, or Portland, OR, through Milwaukee, WI; La Crosse, WI; Eau Claire, WI; St. Paul, MN; Fargo, ND; Bismarck, ND; Dickinson, ND; Glendive, MT; Billings, MT; Bozeman, MT; Butte, MT; Helena, MT; Missoula, MT; St. Regis, MT; Sandpoint, MT; Spokane, WA; and Pasco, WA. The proposed corridor would provide new service (restoring a route that Amtrak discontinued in 1979) on an existing alignment. The corridor sponsor would enter Step 1 of the program to develop a scope, schedule, and cost estimate for preparing, completing, or documenting its service development plan.

We will keep you posted as these plans develop. The routes listed above would be a great step forward to developing a connected passenger rail system for Minnesotans if they are implemented. We will definitely keep you posted as these plans develop. These are exciting times for anyone that wants to see passenger rail service expansion! Stay tuned!

If you wish to read all the routes selected by the FRA nationwide, here is the full list:

FRA Nationwide Corridor Selections