Businesses weigh in on passenger rail possibility

Amtrak says they will work with Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority and act as a conduit in the effort to bring back passenger rail service to southern Montana.

In the Rail Authority’s second-ever meeting at the end of January, Amtrak offered their support to make the idea of passenger rail service happen. Rob Eaton, Amtrak Director of Government Affairs, cautioned and encouraged the Rail Authority as they continue working towards their initial steps of bringing rail passengers across the state from Wibaux to Sanders County. “It’s going to be a worthwhile journey, but it’s going to take some time, so don’t get frustrated,” Eaton said. Part of the second Rail Authority meeting was to vote on and elect its official leaders. Jerry McDonald, the representative for Sanders County, was elected treasurer, and will serve a three-year term. McDonald also volunteered to serve on the bylaws subcommittee, and will also serve on the finance subcommittee.

One of the concerns among the counties is the willingness and cooperation from BNSF Railways to share the tracks. “BNSF has been one of our strongest allies in passenger rail,” Eaton said. “Their attitude towards passenger rail has been one of the best in the country.” Amtrak will be the conduit to Montana Rail Link, which is the host to BNSF. Initial conversations have been had with Montana Rail Link, and Eaton says the relationship between the Rail Authority and the Rail Link will have to be strong, as the rail link serves as the host to the rail and the infrastructure belongs to them. “What you have done in the state of Montana is historic,” Eaton stated. “You’ve created a rail authority without direct action from the legislator or the governor’s office. I think you should be commended for putting this group together.” While there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered on the Rail Authority’s part as the project moves forward, their efforts have gained national attention. The New York Times featured a piece on the proposed project, shortly after the Rail Authority’s second meeting.

The local train of thought on what kind of impact a project of this significance could have on Sanders County, is Sanders County Community Development Corporation (SCCDC) Executive Director, Ray Brown. Brown is cautious yet optimistic towards the opportunity for a passenger rail service to come through the area, but doesn’t think the county is ready yet. “We’re not ready, but we need to be,” Brown said. “I think it’s a wonderful idea, but that also means we need to plan for it. As things currently stand, we don’t have the infrastructure in place to handle it, and it’s going to take getting the right people in the room, and making some pretty critical decisions.”

A project like this will have a substantial impact on local tourism, and while it seems it will most likely have a positive effect on economic growth and development, there is the possibility for several negative implications to arise as well. Brown noted two main concerns stemming from a project of this capacity include safety issues and increased pedestrian traffic. “We can talk about all of that, but honestly, we don’t have any situations we can’t overcome,” Brown stated. “Of course, there’s potential problems that could arise, but proper planning is key.” Another concern Brown voiced is how the county would handle having an influx of people from a passenger rail service coming through. “It could be such a wonderful thing, but you have to look at the total customer experience,” he said. “As soon as a passenger steps off the train, what will they do? We need to give them a reason to step off that train.”

Brown feels that the county isn’t able to offer that kind of experience right now, and while the county is working on it, it’s a slow process and it needs to be collaborative. “It’s not just up to main street and the chamber, or the city and the county. It’s getting everyone in the room together and talking about leveraging on this wonderful opportunity.” As someone who loves to travel on trains himself, Brown also noted a passenger rail service gives the residents an easier way to get out of the county, “it’s a wonderful way to travel, and to have that opportunity right here for the residents is a cool concept.”

In early conversations about a passenger rail service coming through the county, many have wondered where the train depot would be. Some on social media say Paradise, as it is already home to a train depot. Others say Thompson Falls. Brown says the latter, that a train depot should be built in Thompson Falls. “Thompson Falls as the county head should play as the hub for all services,” he said. “I think we should take into account the needs of our surrounding communities, but we have the capacity to serve the population as the depot.” Without knowing the full route of which the rail service would travel through the county, Brown says there are opportunities for more than one stop. “I think Plains has some wonderful opportunities with the fairgrounds being right there,” Brown continued. “Paradise has its charm being the fork between the railways and Quinn’s Hot Springs. There’s no reason to think that there couldn’t be multiple stops.”

Another main point of focus for passenger rail service to come through the county, as Brown suggested, pertains to the ability for residents to easily travel outside of the area. Chelle Mitchell, owner of Cherry Creek Myotherapy, believes not only would the possibility of Amtrak coming through be an asset for the community from an economic standpoint, but she would benefit from it personally as well. “I would love it as a connection between Seattle and Thompson Falls for my family to travel here,” Mitchell said.

“I would also love it if we were able to commute to Missoula or Sandpoint by train.” said Deb Wilson, who is helping restore the Rex Community Theater in Thompson Falls. She is also in favor of passenger rail service coming through the county. “I personally think it would be wonderful for our local businesses to see such an increase in tourism and business on a seasonal basis.”

Daniel Moore, owner of the Black Bear in Thompson Falls, believes passenger rail service would benefit the community in multiple ways. “It would make the community more accessible for family and friends who wish to visit,” Moore said. “It would increase awareness of Thompson Falls as a recreation destination. It would inject dollars into the community through passenger spending, and it would create local jobs.” Safety was also a top priority for Moore, as pedestrian traffic would increase substantially as rail passengers come into town. “The single thing that we would have to figure out, is how to manage passengers crossing the street from the train depot to the business district on Main Street,” he said. “All things considered, I regard this possibility to be an incredibly valuable outcome for Thompson Falls.”