Star Tribune – 12/12/19
Mary Murphy isn't looking for a time machine when she says: "We have to learn how to travel into the future."
The Hermantown DFL state representative just wants Minnesota to catch up.
"If we're planning for the 21st century, and 20 years have gone by already, we have to have something in place for the 80 years to follow," Murphy said. "That is the Northern Lights Express."
Amtrak - 12/11/2019
Rail advocates remain optimistic that a second daily Amtrak train could be added between the Twin Cities and Chicago, even though the Legislature didn't fund a $4 million request to help pay for the project. While disappointed, "I think we finally got some momentum this legislative session," said Mark Vaughan, chairman of the Great River Rail Commission, a group of local government officials in Minnesota and Wisconsin that support efforts to add a second train. He's hopeful lawmakers will see fit to fund the project next year.
Great River Rail Commission - October 3, 2019
An important House of Representatives Transportation hearing (part of the 2019 mini-session) was held in Winona, MN on Thursday, Oct. 3. Rep. Alice Hausman presented two bills for discussion by the committee. One, HF1804, specifically supports the Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago (TCMC) Second Train. The other, HF1493, supports statewide expansion of passenger rail infrastructure. More than 40 people were in attendance and a dozen people spoke during the public hearing, half of whom spoke in favor of a bonding bill supporting the TCMC Second Train and rail infrastructure statewide.
Winona Council member Paul Schollmeier and Red Wing Mayor Sean Dowse both spoke passionately about the importance of the TCMC Second Train for their communities and strongly encouraged the committee to pass a MNDOT bonding request for $10 million to pay for the project's final design studies, administration, and matching dollars for construction of the needed Minnesota improvements to side rails and the building of an actual platform in Winona. The current platform is not ADA compliant.
While the hearing was with the Transportation committee, both bills have been referred to the Capital Investment Committee. The goal is for funding to be appropriated for continued planning and matching funds for needed rail improvements by this committee through the 2020 bonding bill.
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