Submit your feedback now
The regional working groups providing the Federal Railroad Administration with feedback on the FRA Amtrak Daily Long-Distance Service Study have published meeting summaries and maps of a “Conceptual Enhanced Network.”
In order to serve the greatest population, tribal nations, and geographic diversity, this concept proposes restoring service to several routes in the Greater Northwest, such as:
- Amtrak’s former North Coast Hiawatha route. A restored NCH would likely serve central Washington and Spokane, before continuing east through southern Montana, southern North Dakota, and on to Chicago.
- Amtrak’s former Pioneer route. Several options are being considered for the Pioneer, including a westbound split in eastern Oregon, with one leg going to Portland, and the other going to the Tri-Cities, Yakima and Seattle. The eastbound Pioneer could also be extended from Salt Lake City through Las Vegas to southern California on a route similar to the former Desert Wind, which our friends in Boise propose to call the Desert Rose.
Also included on the maps are services that haven’t existed since before Amtrak was created, like Billings to Cheyenne, Denver and beyond. Service to Sioux Falls is also being considered, thus providing service to Wyoming and South Dakota, states that have no Amtrak service at present. There is more work to do and connections to push for, but this is a start!
See more details from the Rail Passengers Association post, and review the slides focusing on the Northwest.
We encourage you to submit your comments to the FRA (with copies to AANW) as soon as possible, no later than Monday, August 21. Enter them into the comment box at the bottom of the study home page using this link, or send your input via email to [email protected]. (We’ve heard that the email address is sometimes busy, so make a local copy before you submit comments and try again if needed.)
It’s important that FRA hear from you. Due to the breadth of the study, it may not be possible for the study team to respond to all feedback, but your comments will be reviewed.
And don’t forget–All Aboard Northwest needs your help to continue our work! Please donate at https://allaboardnw.org/support/