Missouri Part Of New, Nine-State Rail System

April 27, 2007
Kirkwood could see a dramatic increase in rail passenger service, including new routes to Springfield, Mo., and beyond, if recommendations by the Midwest Regional Rail System (MWRRS) are taken up by state and federal authorities.

The bipartisan study released last week advocates a new, safe, high-quality, reliable, efficient passenger rail in a nine-state region including Missouri. The plan could bring between $1.2 billion and $2.3 billion in user benefits to Missouri, spurring new jobs and economic development, as well as helping to reduce auto congestion and dependence on oil.

"We don't really need legislation for this at the state level, but we do need support at the federal level," said Sen. Joan Bray, D-University City. "With the new U.S. Congress, it's more likely that we can get support for this rail passenger plan.

"Illinois is much further along with this with high-speed trains being added and more trains between St. Louis and Chicago. Missouri needs to catch up. This shows a way to make that happen," Bray added.

Bray is one of three members of the state legislature who serve on the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC). The others are state Rep. Charles Schlottach, R-Owensville, and state Sen. John Griesheimer, R-Washington.

"As a region, we need to invest in our passenger rail system both to strengthen our region's vitality and to ensure that necessary transportation options will be available in the future," said Senator Griesheimer.  

"In this day and age, we can't afford to ignore the capacity for passenger rail to provide a transportation alternative for the Midwest. We learned that lesson when events on Sept. 11, 2001, wreaked havoc on our air transport system," said Griesheimer. "We need resources for rail service for economic as well as security reasons."

The MWRRS plan envisions a 3,000-mile rail system that would connect more than 100 communities in the Midwest and would be accessible to 80 percent of the region's population.  

Track improvements would increase speeds up to 110 mph.  Along with new trainsets and more frequent service, the MWRRS would bring fast, convenient passenger rail service to the region that would be competitive with driving and more convenient than flying.

The report also shows the system generating 5,600 permanent new jobs in Missouri, which would provide more than $109 million in additional income for workers.  The system would also bring increased joint development potential to the state, totaling between $402 million and $602 million. 

Missouri envisions expanding passenger rail from St. Louis to Springfield, Mo., and ultimately throughout the state. However,   those plans are not elaborated on in the study.

Very Ambitious Report

"Expanding passenger rail service to more parts of the state improves the sustainability of Amtrak," noted Sen. Michael Gibbons, R-Kirkwood. "It also means the battle for funding could be eased because more parts of the state would benefit from this service.

"A more secure Amtrak is a great boon for Kirkwood because our residents can better rely on it," added Gibbons. "Also, if more passengers are traveling by rail from more locations, you will have travelers and tourists visit Kirkwood while in route to Chicago or the hundreds of other Amtrak destinations in America."

Nevertheless, Gibbons sounded a cautionary note about the report. He called it "very ambitious" and said that if pursued, it would take years, if not decades, to implement.

Gibbons said it would be wise for Kirkwood and St. Louis area citizens interested in rail passenger service to take time to read the report. Gibbons noted that it is available online at www.miprc.org/advocacy.asp. He also stressed the discussion of the economic impact expanded passenger rail service could have on Missouri and specifically Kirkwood.

The report projects user benefits such as time savings, congestion relief and emissions reductions to total $23.1 billion in the first 40 years of the project. A fiscal analysis shows the system having a 1.8 benefit-to-cost ratio, meaning that every dollar spent will yield $1.80 in benefit.

Construction of the system would create 15,200 additional annual jobs during a 10-year construction period, generating $5.3 billion in increased worker earnings and $16.9 billion in increased output by the region's businesses during that period.

Less Ambitious Times

Ironically, senators Griesheimer and Gibbons found themselves battling in the statehouse this week to restore Amtrak subsidies killed by their colleagues in the House earlier this session. Those cuts would put the current passenger service to and from Kirkwood in jeopardy. Gibbons said it's always "a close call" trying to keep those state subsidies in place.

"Sen. Griesheimer and I have been staunch supporters of Amtrak throughout our histories in the House and now the Senate," said Gibbons. "I expect to work with him on any legislation he would introduce in future years outlining long-term goals of Amtrak and the Midwest Regional Rail System(MWRRS).

"Amtrak customers should know now that the delays that have riddled the system due to track work by Union Pacific may soon reach an end," added Gibbons. "We have been promised that this is the last year of major work performed to the rails and that Union Pacific will do a better job of coordinating rail use of passenger trains versus cargo trains."

Sen. Bray said statehouse leaders and the governor have to put more pressure on Union Pacific (UP) to facilitate rail passenger service in Missouri.

"A lot of other state officials we worked with on the report expressed their sympathy to us in Missouri, because we have to work with UP," said Bray. "UP is always repairing the tracks. Always sidelining passenger trains for their freight. It's one of the reasons we are about the only state in the union with a decline last year in Amtrak ridership. This shouldn't be.

"Our officials have got to stand up and make some noise for our rail passengers," said Bray. "And now that it's more likely that Congress will go along with this rail plan, the Bush Administration is going to have to suck it up, and start supporting the the improvement of rail passenger service in this country."