(The following story by Foss Farrar appeared on the Arkansas City Traveler website on February 3, 2010.)
TOPEKA, Kan. — Passenger rail proponents today presented a compelling case for bringing Amtrak back into Kansas, a member of the state Senate transportation committee said.
“We heard from all proponents. We heard good things,” said Sen. Mike Petersen, R-Wichita.
Members of the Northern Flyer Alliance, the visually impaired community and a group from Lawrence that is renovating that city’s train station presented their case at a hearing on Senate Bill 409.
That 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.
An Amtrak study on the feasibility of re-establishing north-south passenger rail service in Kansas is due to be completed in March, according to a press release from the Northern Flyer Alliance.
The study is being funded by the Kansas Department of Transportation.
Advocates are pushing to extend the existing Heartland Flyer route north from Oklahoma City, through Wichita and Kansas City. Cowley County would have a stop on the proposed route.
Petersen said he grew up south of Wichita and had a view of BNSF tracks from his front window. He thinks re-establishing Amtrak service to Kansas — discontinued in 1979 — would have economic benefits.
“If this bill passes, we’ll do a complete study,” Petersen said.
He said he expects work on the bill will proceed within the next two weeks. But the decision of when to work the bill is in the hands of the transportation committee chairman, Sen. Dwayne Umbarger.