DULUTH, Minn. — Amtrak officials are scheduled to be in Duluth today and tomorrow for meetings about proposed passenger service between Duluth and the Twin Cities.
The Duluth News Tribune reports that Joe McHugh, Amtrak’s vice president, state-supported business development, will meet with Duluth-area officials today and elected officials at the State Capitol in St. Paul on Tuesday to discuss the proposed Northland Lights Express, which would use BNSF Railway tracks for its 152-mile route. Proposed intermediate stops are Coon Rapids-Foley, Cambridge, Hinckley, and Superior, Wis.
Monday’s schedule includes a 4 p.m. “social event” with the Amtrak contingent that is open to the public. It will be held at the Duluth Depot, 506 W. Michigan St.
McHugh called the proposal “one of the most shovel-ready projects in the nation” in a letter to the group supporting the project, the Northern Lights Passenger Rail Alliance, earlier this year.
Gov. Tim Walz has $15 million in funding for the train in his current budget, but the total projected start-up cost is $550 million.
Yes, $550 M seems like a lot. What’s included? Locomotives? Coaches? Track upgrades? Access to Minneapolis or better access to St. Paul? While it seems excessive I wouldn’t necessarily exclude it until I got more information.
Have to agree, what are you spending $550 million on? What is the service desired, 60, 70. or 110 mph?? I can see the cost increasingly significantly if going all in on 110 mph. Your talking infrastructure comparable to what Illinois is installing to get 110 between Chicago and St. Louis. Even then, Chicago to St. Louis is connecting two metro areas of 8 & 3 million with reasonable distance that 110 mph service is car competitive vs. two metro areas that might be a 1/3 of that combined and distance such that getting car competitive on time is hard to justify
Maybe another idea if Minnesota wants to support an alternate transportation means, what is the minimum for 70 mph, get a price on a Virgin/Brightline trainset or two, and go between Duluth & Rochester. Tie the schedule in with the commuter service to St. Cloud. Think frequency over speed first and then come back with a plan to upgrade once service is in place. If it fails, at least you got rolling stock that has an after market value and haven’t overbuilt capacity on existing freight line. If it succeeds, start building out the 110 mph and or go in with Wisconsin to add more service between Chicago and Twin Cities.
Will there be Free Food and Drinks served at the “Social Event” or just Talk Talk Talk?
Love to see the breakdown of that 550 million…….
$550,000,000.00? Once again, we are reminded that passenger rail service is NOT cheap.
$15,000,000.00 will just about take care of consultants, design engineers, and the like.
Long term? Higher gasoline taxes and more expensive motor vehicle registration fees may be on “long-final approach”….
$550 Million is quite a start-up cost for a “shovel-ready” project. Especially since multiple trip bus service would probably require several million or less of start-up costs and probably less annual subsidy then a once a day train.
Mr Landey writes: “What do you mean by ” a good start in payback”? A train a day that may or my not fill three coaches?”
Jim adds: You have a point. Yet, all over the nation are little used taxpayer supported airports, highways and bridges. “Use” apparently is only a killing factor when its a passenger train. Payback for years of gleefully supported highway and airport projects is long overdue…….Here in Minnesota and across the great land!
Jim,
If you are seeking Payback there’s probably a lot more opportunities for payback that actually accomplishes something worthwhile that are a lot better than this one.
I’m not anti-rail. I loved traveling by train when I was young and single. (I’d do it today if it didn’t take days to travel to my family instead of a few hours to fly Southwest at less cost than it would take me to go coach let alone Pullman). But there’s nothing worse than spending money on passenger rail that turns out to be a bust. All that does is give the critics of any passenger rail more ammunition.
I’m friends with some of the better Transit researchers in the country. They look at all forms of transportation to see what will work in a given area. For rail passenger service to be successful, the greater Duluth area is unlikely to be large enough to support good rail service. And one train a day in each direction probably doesn’t qualify as worth the $550 Million plus the inevitable cost overruns plus the annual operating costs that always turn out to be more than budgeted.
Jim Norton _ What do you mean by ” a good start in payback”? A train a day that may or my not fill three coaches?
Highways and airports cost more than $550 million but also move orders of magnitude more people than the Northern Lights likely will.
I’m not opposed to this train nor to the expenditure of $550 million but I’d want to know what Minnesota will get for the money.
As much money as is lavished on airports and highways makes $550 million a good start in payback.
The proposed train from Twin Cities to Duluth is a waste of money. I35 killed the NP passenger service. What proof do the supporters of Northern Light Express have that their train(s) will make any money?
I an pro-passenger and have used my AMTRAK privilege card on a number of occasions, but this service is not needed.
Ed Burns
Retired Clerk from Northtown.
$550 million does seem like a lot. A closer look at the Duluth News Tribune article does mention that the project “will require 117 railroad crossing upgrades along with construction or updates to depots, passenger platforms and other infrastructure, including the addition of four to five sidings along the route that will allow freight trains to pull off and be passed by the passenger train.” What they list seems logical as to what needs to be done, not including the equipment. I’m not sure if the $550M is reasonable, though those crossing upgrades and siding installs could add up quickly.