The president of an organization pushing to restore Amtrak service in southern North Dakota is optimistic that service will be restored.
Dan Bilka is with “All Aboard Northwest.” He said the Federal Railroad Administration has finished its Long Distance Service Study – and he said more than 47,000 comments were received, with 99 percent supporting passenger rail.
"The final report is being written by the project team, and will be delivered to Congress this fall," Bilka said. "After that, it's up to us, members of the public and advocates, to really push on Congress to do something with it, and not let it sit on a shelf for years."
Bilka said Congress will need to do three broad things.
"One is to fully authorize the system," Bilka said. "Tow is to fully fund the system. And third is to direct it to be done ASAP, with the creation of a national rail commission, that would be charged with developing the projects, managing construction activity and its implementation."
Count Terri Thiel as one of the big supporters for Amtrak restoring its route through southern North Dakota.
Thiel heads the Dickinson Convention and Visitors Bureau.
"This summer, in fact, I had somebody in from Wisconsin, not knowing this project was going on," Thiel said. "And he said, 'You know, you need a rail line going through here. That would be so convenient, and so nice to be able to sit back and enjoy that.' And I said, 'You know what? We are working on that."
Thiel says with the upcoming opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in nearby Medora, it would be nice to have another travel option.
"I do think it's a mode of transportation that people enjoy," Thiel said. "They don't have to be in a vehicle, driving. They could just sit and enjoy the trip, and not have to concentrate on the road, and just relax."
The "North Coast Hiawatha" was discontinued by Amtrak in 1979. Amtrak has one route through North Dakota, which goes from Fargo and Grand Forks, through Devils Lake, Minot and Williston.
