(The following article by Sara Garcia was posted on the Indianapolis Star on July 15.)
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Now what train ride would be complete without a glass of wine or an on-board cheese-tasting event?
As Amtrak battles to retain government funding, a company spokesperson said a “backlog” of projects is scheduled to come out of its Beech Grove facility, many of which involve new amenities.
The latest project to roll out of the 650-employee rail yard — 12 remanufactured trains purchased in the 1980s — cost more than $12 million to produce and will be released in August.
Amtrak said it redesigned these trains in an effort to attract more consumers to its route stretching from Chicago to Seattle.
The route, one of 18 the House Appropriations Committee has recommended eliminating, previously had been a money loser for Amtrak. The company, with a budget of $1.2 million, will charge higher fares when the trains hit the tracks.