Hiawatha rail route will better connect rural Montana

We admire the hard work of passenger rail advocates along the Hi-Line and believe those efforts are worth emulating. Indeed, far from detracting from the Empire Builder, expanding our national rail network and restoring the North Coast Hiawatha will create greater connectivity in our state and throughout the Greater Northwest region. It will provide rail access to Montana’s second iconic national park, Yellowstone, bring folks to gems like Makoshika State Park and myriad other recreational destinations, and also connect southern Montana cities, towns, and rural areas to the nation. It will even allow us to knit together northern and southern tiers of Montana by creating linkages to the Empire Builder in Sandpoint, Idaho, and Fargo, N.D. — strengthening the ridership and benefits of both lines. Read more