Minnesota funding for second train to Chicago thwarted

Star Tribune - November 4, 2020

Supporters of a proposed second round-trip train between the Twin Cities and Chicago are determined to advance the project despite failing to win funding at the legislature last month. "The second train is by no means dead," said Brian Nelson, president of the passenger rail advocacy group All Aboard Minnesota. "We are investigating a whole host of [funding] alternatives."

Earlier this year, the project received a boost when the Federal Railroad Administration awarded it $32 million. But the money comes with the caveat that Minnesota kick in $10 million in matching funds.

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Bonding bill snub holds up second Amtrak train between St. Paul and Chicago

Pioneer Press - October 27, 2020

A proposed second train between St. Paul and Chicago will be delayed after the Minnesota Legislature declined to provide $10 million in matching funds.

Meeting in their fifth special session of the year, lawmakers adjourned earlier this month after approving a nearly $2 billion bonding bill that did not include funding for the Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago (TCMC) Second Train.

“We’re disappointed,” said Mark Vaughan, chair of the Great River Rail Commission, which is advocating for the second train. “But I can promise that the commission is resolute in advocating for funding again in the 2021 session.” Read More

Legislature: Stop sidetracking passenger rail in Minnesota

MinnPost - October 20, 2020

After four bitterly partisan special sessions, the Minnesota legislators succeeded in passing a public works infrastructure package at the close of their fifth go-around. While our legislators may have surmounted their bonding bill hurdle at last, at the close of the fifth special session, the status of one issue hadn’t changed at all: $10 million in essential matching funds for the Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago (TCMC) “second train” project were nowhere to be seen. Read More