NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Big Sky 55+ endorses the efforts of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority to increase daily long-distance passenger rail in Montana, including improvements and strengthening of service on the Empire Builder, reintroduction of the North Coast Hiawatha across southern Montana, and North-South service from Billings to Denver.

After a decision by the Prairie County Commission nearly three months ago to withdraw any local voice from participating in the affairs of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority, the Terry Town Council may support the organization financially to regain that voice.

The AFL-CIO and Montana AFL-CIO, through the District 19 IAMAW, join Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority as an ex officio member by unanimous vote. John Denny will serve as its representative to BSPRA.

Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority Annual Meeting June 7th, 2024

Recording of all presentations.

The PNWER RIA team joined other expert panelists for a full day of insightful discussion on the benefits of improved passenger rail service, reiterating its benefit for economic sustainability and community connectivity – the guiding theme for this year’s annual meeting. BSPRA Chairman Dave Strohmaier and his team gathered rail industry professionals, Amtrak and FRA representatives, and community advocates that underscored the importance of investment in Montana’s passenger rail network.

Long-distance service corridors selected into Corridor ID include: Daily Cardinal Service (Amtrak), Daily Sunset Limited Service (Amtrak), North Coast Hiawatha (Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority) - Restoration of service over all or portions of an intercity passenger rail route formerly operated by Amtrak.

Dickinson, ND joins BSPRA as a Government Partner

Tribal leaders are optimistic about the possibilities of a passenger railroad line that crosses the same strip of land previous leaders fought so hard against building on the reservation. The proposed passenger rail will travel north from Missoula through Arlee, Ravalli, and Dixon then west to Spokane.

We are in the midst of an infrastructure decade, and you are at the center of it.

Big ideas discussed during the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority's annual meeting in Missoula on Friday, June 7th. Dennis Bragg talked with BSPRA Chair Dave Strohmaier about the state of passenger rail in Montana.

The buzz around the new route brought several top railroad officials to the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA) for its annual conference in Missoula, including Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

“Right now as we speak, we are in the middle of accepting proposals from consultants engineering firms to help us throughout this process, which is probably an 18-month to a two-year long planning process,” said BSPRA chairman Dave Strohmaier.

If there was one theme to Friday's Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority's annual conference, it was one of accomplishment, with a lot of work to come. However, there were many messages of encouragement during the day, both from Federal Rail Administration officials and the private sector working on breakthrough technology with hydrogen and hybrid trains. The conference was the latest milestone for BSPRA, which was formed less than 4-years ago, but with the restoration of Montana's "Southern Route" already on the list for possible projects.

Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority hosted its annual meeting today Friday to discuss several statewide projects that are on the fast track. The goal was to discuss recent accomplishments and set goals for the future. The organization noted railroads in Montana received a $15 million grant for rail improvements.

The resurrection of the North Coast Hiawatha route which runs from Seattle to Chicago and through Southern Montana, will be one point of discussion over the next few days. This route has been discontinued since 1979, but the BSPRA is past the optimism stage with this route and currently planning on how to make this route operational once more.

More passenger rail through Montana isn’t just a hope and a dream, it’s a plan that’s chugging its way to reality, according to a report this week from the Big Sky Rail Authority. And Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg is on board.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg was in Missoula on Monday. "All together we've given out over $2.4 billion to modernize transportation across Montana, It's a level of financial support from the federal government that we haven't seen in my lifetime, and it's sorely needed. Buttigieg said that he believes improved passenger train service should be a priority. "The bottom line is passenger rail is something we believe in."

The Jamestown City Council in a 4-1 vote, approved an annual membership in the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority to support a long-distance passenger rail route that could go through Jamestown in the future.