Web posted
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Amtrak study in works
By FOSS FARRAR
Traveler Staff Writer
reporter@arkcity.net
An Amtrak feasibility study on adding passenger rail service in Kansas is in the works.
Kansas Department of Transportation officials met Friday in Topeka with Amtrak representatives to request the study on the feasibility of extending the Heartland Flyer passenger rail service from Oklahoma City to Kansas City.
Also attending the meeting were city officials from Arkansas City, Emporia, Lawrence and Wichita, as well as representatives of two passenger rail advocacy groups. In addition, Oklahoma Department of Transportation officials attended the meeting via speaker phone.
"The overall aspect of bringing in a whole new transportation operation is kind of fun to talk about," said Ark City City Manager Doug Russell, who attended the meeting.
Russell added that in addition to providing Ark City with an alternate transportation option, Amtrak service here could help local tourism and economic development.
The State of Kansas would fund the study estimated to cost $150,000 to $200,000, KDOT spokesman Ron Kaufman said. It is expected to start in late summer and take about six months to complete.
"The study is going to evaluate and find out the cost to provide Amtrak passenger service between Kansas City and Oklahoma City or on to Fort Worth," Kaufman said.
He said now is a good time for such a study in Kansas because the state is planning for a new transportation program within the next few years. The current, 10-year comprehensive transportation program ends in 2009.
KDOT was prompted to request the Amtrak study by "vocal grassroots efforts," interest from local communities and legislators, Kaufman said.
The advocacy groups attending Friday's meeting were the Northern Flyer Alliance and the National Association of Railroad Passengers.
"We'll wait and see what the feasibility study pulls out," Russell said. "We should get figures on ridership and a cost-benefit analysis as well as start-up costs."
Starting up the Amtrak route in Kansas would require some subsidy from the state, Kaufman said. But there is an article to the state constitution that now prevents KDOT from providing operational subsidies for rail service.
"If a decision is made to move forward, the funding would have to be determined by the State Legislature," he said.
The study would consider the condition of the rails on which Amtrak would run, possible station stops along the route, food service and other factors, he said.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe runs a number of freight trains on the route, he added. So how to schedule freight and passenger trains would be an issue.
"We have to look at capacity on the rail line," Kaufman said. "There are a number of trains that run the line; it's a heavily scheduled fright line."
The Amtrak study would consider the number of train sets -- locomotives and cars -- needed for a passenger rail system in Kansas, he added.
The study also would look at the condition and number of railroad crossings along the line.
"We will take our discussion today and use it to help us give Amtrak a final study scope," Kaufman said.
He said Amtrak is asking KDOT to provide different scenarios for the study, such as scheduling, stops, meal service, staffing at stations and frequency of trips, he added.
Later, the two entities will negotiate a price to do the study, and then it can proceed.
|
