Restoring the North Coast Hiawatha

Could reopening a former Amtrak route covering southern Montana and North Dakota be feasible? One group in Montana believes so.

The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority says reestablishing the North Coast Hiawatha line would create new jobs as well as provide new options of transportation across the two states. The proposed service would follow along Interstates 90 and 94, making stops in Glendive, Dickinson, Bismarck and Fargo. Authority Chair Dave Strohmaier says he is hopeful a federal study into long-distance passenger routes will show the need for restoring the railway.

“We need to, at this moment in time, make our voices known to the federal railroad administration and to our members of congress that 2023 is the year to get this over the finish line,” said Strohmaier. Read more.