Amtrak rail system approved in House

All aboard northwest! What in the world am I talking about? Great question! I’m talking about an Amtrak rail system (Yep!) connecting our rural state with the rest of the passenger train networks.
It turns out South Dakota and Wyoming are the only two states that don’t have any passenger rail lines. So, Tim, how are we going to pull off this one? Well, that’s what they said when the Eisenhower Highway was proposed in the late ’50s and ’60s. Oh! The Eisenhower Highway is our interstate system. Would we not be outraged if every other state had an interstate system except Wyoming and us?
I am the prime sponsor of HCR6008, a resolution supporting the effort to bring Amtrak passenger rail services to the state. This is the first step to moving this initiative forward. I might add that concurrent resolution HCR6008 passed the transportation committee with a unanimous vote of 13-0 and has passed the House floor with 49 yes votes and 21 no votes and is on its way to the Senate. About this worthwhile and ambitious endeavor, we have to think big and I have always believed that you miss every shot you don’t take.
About the rail lines. Current lines can be upgraded to take the current designated max speed of 40 mph up to Amtrak’s speed of 80 mph. The same lines would be used, no eminent domain issues, as all that was dealt with when the rail lines were put in.
The main route would be Rapid City to Pierre, then on to Sioux Falls. From Sioux Falls the hookup would be to the Twin Cities in Minnesota. From Rapid City, the main route would go to Cheyenne, Wyo., and then to Denver. From Minneapolis the lines would go over to Fargo, N.D., to the northwest, and to Chicago to the east.
North Dakota brings in about $29 million in economic benefits per year. Missouri receives about $47 million in benefits through their Amtrak service.
In Fiscal Year 2024 there were $2.4 billion dollars in grants available through a program called Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements. To my knowledge, no states applied for it. There is also a grant program called Special Transportation Circumstances (STC). We do receive some funding from STC, but states with Amtrak receive considerably more dollars.
South Dakota deserves to be served by a national passenger rail system, part of a true national network linking cities. These services are feasible, defensible and achievable today with your support and encouragement through our congressional delegation.
After nearly 54 years of Amtrak service, it is time the Mount Rushmore state is served by Amtrak. South Dakota no longer needs to be second class citizens and deserves Amtrak service like the rest of the nation currently has.