BNSF ready to work with rail authority

Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) is ready and looking forward to working with Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA) as advocates work toward restoring passenger rail service across the Southern Montana Route. The message of support comes shortly after Montana Rail Link’s (MRL) announcement that the company is letting its lease expire and will be turning over operations to BNSF.

“BNSF gave us a ringing message of support for resumed passenger rail through the heart of Montana,” said BSPRA treasurer and Sanders County representative Jerry McDonald. “This puts us in high gear and reflects a trend of renewed interest of host railroads in supporting passenger rail.”

In a first official meeting with BSPRA, Matt Jones, Executive Director of Public Affairs for BNSF, gave strong reassurances to the rail authority, stating BNSF has an entire division that works to support passenger rail. “We’ve had long-standing, very positive relationships with both Amtrak and commuter rail operations on our network,” Jones said during the meeting. “So, it’s something that isn’t foreign to BNSF and we look forward to following along with what the BSPRA is doing and we will have a seat at the table during that process.”

While Jones says it will be “several more months” before MRL hands off operations to BNSF, BSPRA Chairman and Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier says the rail authority is confident and primed to begin a working relationship with BNSF in order to resume operations to the North Coast Hiawatha service.

“I’ve had the opportunity to meet with BNSF’s passenger rail division and I am extremely optimistic given the conversation between BNSF and the rail authority thus far,” Strohmaier told The Sanders County Ledger. “Out of that conversation, we are well poised to work collaboratively together. It’s a really great opportunity for a win-win. What is good for passenger rail increases cooperation for freight opportunities.”

Strohmaier says while it’s important to keep in mind that Amtrak has the legal right to run on host railroads, an upgrade to infrastructure is needed and the question of possibility for passenger rail to be restored has been made all the more positive and feasible with the cooperation of the railroad partners.

“It’s also important to note this is not a Montana centric project,” Strohmaier said. “The route we’re talking about runs from Chicago to Seattle to southern Montana.” The chairman says an active relationship is needed with regional partners outside Montana, for those partners also utilize BNSF equipment. “Because of that,” Strohmaier explains, “it’s all the more important to work with BNSF.”