Rail plan gains support

Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority’s (BSPRA) efforts to restore passenger rail service across the “Southern Montana Route” has taken a step closer to reality after receiving a considerable advancement of support from a group of bipartisan U.S. senators. Led by U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, the group delivered a letter directing the Federal Rail Administration to establish a Greater Northwest Working Group to study and work toward the restoration of passenger rail service across the region.

A press release from BSPRA states the letter was co-signed by Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND), Sen. James Risch (R-ID), Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT).

The letter follows Tester’s bipartisan infrastructure

legislation, which was recently signed into law. “The investments in Montana’s infrastructure that we secured in the bipartisan infrastructure law will be a boon for the Treasure State’s economy, and we’ve got to make sure they’re fully deployed,” Tester said in the press release. “That’s why this study is so important – restoring some of our long-distance passenger rail routes has broad bipartisan support and could have a positive impact across the state.”

An important provision in the bill encompassed addressing transportation issues that rural America faces, as these areas remain underserved by long-distance passenger rail services. Tester included language in that bill that will direct $15 million to study Amtrak long-distance passenger rail travel. The infrastructure bill made the largest investment in passenger rail since Amtrak’s creation more than 50 years ago.

The rail authority is a collection of 18 counties and has been leading the way for passenger rail restoration. BSPRA believes the bipartisan support and creation of the Northwest Working Group is the next step forward in attaining the goal of rail service. The rail authority acknowledges the benefits rail service would bring to Montana as a whole, but they have paid close attention to the rural areas of the states, as those areas would specifically see benefits on several levels.

“Not only will the restoration of passenger rail services provide a means of transportation, but for tourists and travelers coming into Sanders County and traveling to all points in between, passenger rail will help diversify the economy and help revitalize Main Street,” BSPRA chairman and Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier, told the Sanders County Ledger. “Passenger rail would be an anchor and a magnet for that sort of development and a diverse economy will provide an infusion of dollars to Main Street.”

While the restoration of passenger rail would be significant for the highly populated areas of Montana, BSPRA treasurer and Sanders County representative Jerry McDonald, says larger Montana communities such as Bozeman, Butte and Missoula are destinations for people living in the surrounding cities like Plains and Thompson Falls.

“The passenger rail business strands large opportunities without train stops in Sanders County or other rural locations to boost the ridership model,” McDonald said. “I made this point clearly when the Authority scoped stops for the economic study we commissioned to the Rail Passenger’s Association. I demonstrated that Sanders, having the greatest number of track miles of any of the counties, qualified us for two stops to study.”

A high-level economic analysis conducted by BSPRA states the restoration of the North Coast Hiawatha to the seven states it serves including Montana, could generate more than $270 million in economic benefits. The preliminary report also states the restoration of the North Coast Hiawatha would cost Amtrak around $68 million a year to operate and the route could expect to see more than 420,000 passengers on an annual basis. The report estimates the number of passengers could increase as more and more turn to this mode of travel.

“The projected economic benefit to Sanders County would be significant,” Strohmaier said. “Ridership in urban areas in Montana and the rail corridor really is proportionate to rural areas of Montana where other modes of transportation don’t exist.”

The report suggests Montana would bring in around $500,000 in annual visitor spending. That number is a blend of income from lodging, restaurants, entertainment, shopping and local transportation.

“It is important to note that this is not all the spending captured in our modeling, but simply the value of new spending,” the report indicates. “There are more effects from a broader view of visitor spending elsewhere in the model.”

The report lays out focused benefits, including environmental, that would come from direct operations of the North Coast Hiawatha service. The report says results at a county level in which station stops will be located are driven primarily by the ridership in these stations. Strohmaier says since the location for a train station has yet to be determined for Sanders County, the study gives numbers for a combined location of Thompson Falls and Plains.

The estimated economic benefits of the North Coast Hiawatha service through Sanders County says visitor spending would be around $23,000 annually. The report also proposes the county would see around a total of $100,000 in avoided road maintenance and around $145,000 in avoided travel costs. A total economic benefit of $391,360 was estimated for Sanders County. The study says Montana could gain around $410,000 in new tax revenue.

Should a working group be convened to study the restoration of rail services through the region, BSPRA has stated their intentions will be to play a significant role in that study. “Thanks to Tester, language that was written into that bipartisan law says long-distance routes, such as the Hiawatha, be included in that study,” Strohmaier said. “As the rail authority is the working agency in Montana, we fully anticipate being at the table for that discussion, while also working with the Federal Rail Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation. We want to be there to represent our interests and efforts in the process.”