(The following story by Foss Farrar appeared on the Arkansas City Traveler website on February 15, 2010.)
TOPEKA, Kan. — A bill establishing a passenger rail program for Kansas passed the state Senate transportation committee and might go before the full Senate for a vote, a local senator said today.
Senate Bill 409 was passed by the committee late last week, said Sen. Steve Abrams, R-Arkansas City. Abrams said he favors the bill.
The bill would establish a passenger rail program, authorize the state secretary of transportation to enter into agreements with Amtrak and other rail operators, and establish a revolving fund for the program.
Abrams said he’s in favor of establishing a revolving fund, “but without funding it” at this time. The fund is needed to show Kansas’ intention of matching federal dollars for rail corridor improvements.
“I talked to Dwayne (Umbarger) late last week and it passed out of committee,” Abrams said. “He told me he knew the majority leader was in the process of going over it.”
Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, R-Independence, will determine when and if the bill is debated, he added.
“It looks like it’s going to be debated and moved to the next phase,” said passenger rail proponent Jim Hagar, of Arkansas City.
Hagar is the Cowley County representative of the Northern Flyer Alliance, which is promoting the expansion of existing Amtrak service into Kansas.
The Heartland Flyer Amtrak line now runs from Fort Worth to Oklahoma City.
Under the proposal, now being studied by Amtrak, service would be extended north from Oklahoma City through Wichita to Kansas City, with a proposed stop in Cowley County.
North-south Amtrak service to Arkansas City, Wichita and other locations was discontinued in 1979.
“We need everybody to contact state senators. We need to get it supported,” Hagar said.
Editor’s note: Those seeking more information on the bill and how to contact state senators can visit www.northflyer.org.