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Congress passed legislation last week for Amtrak expansion that will bring 110-mph trains to Wisconsin - perhaps within 5 years. (Bush to Sign Bill to Nearly Double Amtrak Funding Wall Street Journal - Oct 2, 2008 and Senate Passes Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act) This legislation creates spending authority. Congress still needs to pass a separate spending appropriation, probably in March 2009. In the mean time FRA will set program guideline within 90 days. Basically what this means is that high-speed passenger rail took a huge step forward, including in Wisconsin. High-speed in Wisconsin will mean up to 110-mph from Madison to Milwaukee.
Wisconsin already has an approved environmental document for the Madison to Milwaukee corridor, so Wisconsin is in excellent position to obtain federal funding. Milwaukee to Madison High Speed Rail
At-grade crossings will still be allowed with 110-mph trains, but there will likely be many crossing signal and other safety improvements. These safety improvements will be funded with the high-speed program.
I think this thing is actually going to happen. Really.
Monday, October 06, 2008
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Where would the rail line run, exactly? Through the Isthmus, down John Nolen and so on? Where would the station(s) be?
ReplyDeleteInitially, the train is likely to have a downtown, as yet not identified, location. When service continues to Twin Cities, the stop will be at the Dane County Regional Airport.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is cool. I'll believe it when I see it though.
ReplyDeleteGet ready to start believing it. I've worked for the state railroad commission for 20+ years and am not one to get overly excited about the prospects of passenger rail. The step taken last week by Congress was huge. Unless they back away from that next year, passenger train operations will expand in number of places, including Madison-Milwaukee. There are still things to be done, but operations within five years are very likely.
ReplyDeleteAnything between Madison and Chicago? Or would you have to go through Milwaukee first?
ReplyDeleteFirst, an update President Bush (remember him?) signed the bill last week.
ReplyDeleteBut, no plans for Chi-Madison. There has been talk of Metra extending service into Wisconsin, but not to Madison. Metra ends at Harvard, Illinois. It would be nice to have it a little closer.