On the County Talk edition of KGVO’s Talk Back show on Wednesday, March 8th, Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier provided an update on the effort to return passenger rail service to Montana.

The North Coast Hiawatha route was discontinued in 1979. Governor Doug Burgum, R-ND, has expressed support for restoring the route, saying it would have significant economic impacts for state tourism. Senators Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven have also been in favor of improving long-distance passenger rail across rural America.

For the first time in its young history, the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority now claims a contiguous block of participating counties stretching from the North Dakota border across the state to the western border with Idaho.

The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is continuing efforts to bring rail service to southern Montana and just reached another milestone by adding another county to the group. Commissioners in Treasure County unanimously voted to join the group as the 20th county.

2023 is a major year for this effort: the U.S. Department of Transportation is studying which inactive rail lines could be restored. The North Coast Hiawatha stretched from Chicago to Seattle and passed through Missoula County until 1979 when the line was discontinued. Listen to this episode to learn more about how tribal communities and private businesses are involved and what’s next for the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority.

“As many Montanans may know, this state was built on railways. Beginning in 1880 when the tracks first linked us to the rest of the nation, railroads played a key role in transporting livestock, grain, and passengers from the West Coast to the Atlantic. Although the second half of the 20th century into the beginning of the 21st has been a difficult time for passenger rail travel, I believe it is key to strengthening our state as we look to support a growing population.”

The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is pushing to ensure the old North Coast Hiawatha is included in November when the Federal Railroad Administration submits its final Amtrak Daily Long Distance Service Study to Congress.

"The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority in Montana is resolutely moving forward with an ambitious – and obtainable – goal of reinstating the lost and lamented Vista Dome North Coast Limited passenger train service from Chicago to the west coast across the former Northern Pacific/now BNSF southern tier line."

If restored, the new Big Sky line would cover southern Montana as part of a larger route from Chicago, running through the Twin Cities and across southern North Dakota into Montana. To advance their proposal, Big Sky officials sought the support of Amtrak, BNSF (whose freight-rail track would host the new passenger-rail service), state transportation officials, county and local governments, and three Tribal Nations. "We’ve made more progress in the last two years than we have in the first 40, and I think passenger-rail service is finally within our grasp," Strohmaier says.

“Our goal is on the restoration of the North Coast Hiawatha route, which could tap into this $12 billion pot of money once the long-distance study is completed in November of 2023, and if our route is recommended to Congress for restoration,” BSPRA Chairman Strohmaier said.

“This is one of the two most significant investments in the past 50 years to modernize passenger train service across the country,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “Americans deserve excellent passenger rail services, and through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re working to deliver it.”

In the two years since forming, the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority has grown to include member counties stretching 600 miles from Montana's western and eastern boarders. The counties lie along the old North Coast Hiawatha route, where advocates hope to restore passenger rail in the coming years. The organization has made headway in recent years and strongly believes that a pending federal study on recommended routes where passenger rail should be restored will include the North Coast Hiawatha.

Cuts in the late 1970s ended Amtrak service across southern Montana. Now, a county-led coalition wants to bring it back.

“My goal is that within the next six years, we'll see passenger rail service in Missoula, and I think we're well poised to do so,” he said. “One year from now, there will be recommendations to Congress by the U.S. Department of Transportation. We'll do everything in our power to ensure the restored North Coast Hiawatha route is in the top route restoration recommendations.”

The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority on Wednesday agreed to apply for a federal grant to make improvements to rail infrastructure along the Hi-Line to benefit the existing Empire Builder.

While it may seem a strange play for an authority created to restore service to southern Montana, members of the group believe that a strong Empire Builder will only help enhance the restoration of passenger service elsewhere in the state. Read more.

Diane Magone was appointed the new Mineral County Director of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority

Big Horn County became Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority's 19th member.