Passenger Rail Service on Track to Return to Montana's Yellowstone Country

Before the holidays, we got word that the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA) was accepted into the federal Corridor ID Program. This is the first step toward reinstating passenger rail from Chicago to Seattle. Congress accepted 69 routes into the program; this is the only long-distance route to be approved.

In addition to the economic benefit, the rail service would provide a safe, affordable, comfortable and all-weather transportation option, improving the quality of life for Montanans living in rural areas. Passenger rail makes accessing health care and veteran services easier and connects rural and tribal communities to our more populated areas.

Big Sky Passenger Rail Vice-Chair Jason Stuart talked about the need to reinvest in rail structure in our country in general. He notes that one freight train can move as many goods as 300 18-wheelers, which I found to be staggering. Not only is rail service more efficient, but it’s better for our environment. The new scope of work will take 6-8 months to create and will address conflicts with other train traffic and plans for the train depots. It’s exciting to see all the hard work BSPRA has done pay off. We cannot pass up this opportunity to say, “The train is leaving the station!” Read more.