EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The Chippewa-St. Croix Rail Commission has hired a consultant team led by HDR Engineering and including HNTB Corp. to carry out the scoping work for proposed Eau Claire-Twin Cities passenger rail service.
The scoping work is the first phase in development of a new route under the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program. The Eau Claire-Twin Cities route was one of 34 potential new passenger routes among 69 selected for the Corridor ID program last year; that selection came with a $500,000 grant to support the scoping process [see “Full list of passenger routes in FRA Corridor program released,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 8, 2023]. The scoping process involves creation of a Service Development Plan, which estimates the cost and timeline for launching new service, among other features.
HDR, described by the commission as a national leader in rail corridor planning and development for the FRA, and HNTB were selected through a competitive Request for Proposals process. They are or have worked on studies including the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Milwaukee-Madison-Eau Claire-Twin Cities proposal and the studies for a second Chicago-Milwaukee-Twin Cities round trip.
Scott Rogers, the commission member designated as the project committee lead, said in a press release that selection of the consultants “is a critical first step in bringing passenger trains to enchance the economy of our region.”
The commission’s application for the service also seeks to establish a competitive process to select a train operator; reach a track access agreement with host railroad Union Pacific; consider zero-emission equipment; and ensure sufficient train frequency to provide travel convenience and support transportation-oriented economic development.
The commission, established in 2021, includes three counties, six municipalities, and the West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition, a non-profit group supporting the development of passenger rail operations in the area. Ex-officio members include Union Pacific, five colleges and universities, and the West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. the More information on the proposed service is available at the rail coalition website.
The old CNW “400”route from Milwaukee to MSP thru Eau Claire is single track and may currently be “dark.” The magnificent early 20th century hi-speed upgrade is in central Wisc. well south of Eau Claire. UP does not have much traffic on the line, but expect a high price for access.
Mr. Landey: it’s called “Tunnel City.” A big lump of rock out in the middle of nowhere which the Milwaukee single-bored mid-19th century. CNW followed with a double track bore which collapsed in the 1960’s, thereafter trackage rights on the MILW.
This tunnel is sometimes claimed – even in MRHA calendars and periodicals – to be through a ridge separating the Mississippi River and Great Lakes drainage basins. Not so. The west side is the LaCrosse River down to the Mississippi. The east side is the Lemonweir River to the Wisconsin River to the Mississippi. The divide between the Mississippi basin and the Great Lakes is really close to Lake Michigan in SE Wisconsin and NE Illinois.
Route shows St Paul-Stillwater. Last I looked, there was no direct railroad between these points, other than running up the branch to Stillwater.
It’s good to see this good idea moving forward. The selection of a train operator will likely be guided by Union Pacific’s Private Access model as I believe they’ve been quite clear that they prefer a non-Amtrak operator. There are several possibilities here (i.e. Herzog.)
Starting from Altoona is a good idea. Eau Claire/Chippewa Falls metro is a large and rapidly-growing area. Perhaps a stop on the far northwest side of the metro area (North Crossing area) could be considered due to highway arrangements, easy access to Chippewa Falls and proximity to Elk Mound.
Best Wishes for success on this effort and it will help get service east/southeast of Eau Claire started easier if this west part is ready.
While on the subject of the Twin Cities (sort of) some quick impressions on the Boring Alice:
(1) So-so load WB on Wednesday Surprisingly few people got in in Milwaukee.
(2) Much larger load EB on Friday to Milwaukee. Near sell-out in Hiawatha territory. Consist is four Horizon coaches plus the biz. class half of the AmCafe.
(3) AmCafe food and beverage selection is pretty decent, noticeably better than I recall from trips many years ago.
(4) Train runs at a decent speed on a convenient schedule.
(5) For rail fans, the number and variety of freight shippers between Columbus and LaCrosse was worth the ride. A genuine surprise to me, as CPKC has few shippers in SE Wisconsin or NE Illinois.
(6) Didn’t know CPKC had a tunnel on the route. The scenery in Minnesota is magnificent, everything that the “see America at rail level” brigade would want to have.
(7) Am I the only one who finds Amtrak seats uncomfortable? Sure there’s more room than an airplane, but that doesn’t mean the seat is any good. Airlines have made great improvements in seat comfort within their cramped envelope.
(8) Saint Paul Union Depot is one of the few in a busy, attractive commercial area with all sorts of hotels etc. a walk of a few blocks.
(9) Not that I expected otherwise, “Business Class” consists of more seating room (compared to coach), next to the AmCafe counter, plus free coffee or Coke. The AmCafe got rowdier as the trip went on and the alcohol flowed.
All in all a very good experience for me and Mrs L., considering that it’s been a long time since I’ve ridden Amtrak for a trip over a hundred miles.
One other point: MKE-CHI passengers expect reliable and on-time Hiawathas. At MKE EB, or from CHI WB, the Borealis is a Hiawatha in everything but name. I don’t believe Amtrak has the wherewithal for an additional Hiawatha if the EB Borealis is late. Or annulled. Which is inevitable in the Winter. CPKC’s admirable timekeeping on the Hiawatha cannot be expected on a train from Saint Paul on a single-track route heavy with freight.
About 100 passengers boarded the EB Borealis (as if a Hiawatha) at Milwaukee yesterday (Friday). If sometime this winter the Borealis is stuck in a snowdrift somewhere to the west, then what?
Both Eau Claire & Menomonie are college towns they could probably use a transportation option since all they have is an occasional Greyhound that stops out on the Interstate at a truck stop. Yes, will probably never happen as trying to establish passenger/commuter rail is such an uphill battle and not just with the RR but all the other organized forces who rally against such efforts. Yet just North of I-94 they put up a $billion bridge from nowhere to nowhere between MN & WI only used by WI residents who work in the Twin Cities & now are probably working from home!
Hope they have better luck than those trying to reinstate the North Coast Hiawatha as they say the earliest this would be possible is 2047.
Who is going to own commuter rail into the TC? Or will it be St Paul from the east and Minneapolis from the north and west?
Hope this is more than some amateurs playing with trains. ….. as in let’s start a corridor because an unwilling railroad owns a secondary main.
I cannot say I know the territory to Eau Claire. What I do know is that the Twin Cities have lots of commuters but few trains. Saint Paul Union Depot is one of the nation’s most magnificent. It has three daily arrivals and three daily departures, none of them commuter trains.