Proposed Amtrak runs between Texas, KC discussed in Newton

A group looking to expand passenger rail service between Fort Worth and Kansas City through Oklahoma City met with regional officials in Newton Saturday morning.

The Northern Flyer Alliance, based out of Wichita, wanted to give local governmental and other agency officials an update on progress of the group’s mission and to ask for input on where to go from here.

Three state senators were on hand to gather information about passenger rail service — Carolyn McGinn, R-Sedgwick; Leslie “Les” Donovan, R-Wichita; and Greta Goodwin, D-Winfield.

Donovan is the chairman of the Senate’s transportation committee, and Goodwin is on that committee.

From Kansas City to the Oklahoma border, 20 communities and four counties have signed papers in support of expanded Amtrak passenger rail service in the area that would connect with existing service in Oklahoma City traveling to Forth Worth.

Matt Zimmerman, Emporia representative for the alliance, gave information about passenger rail service in Kansas.

“There is limited service in Kansas,” he said. “The Southwest Chief comes through in the middle of the night through Topeka, Newton, Dodge City and Garden City. The service isn’t meeting the needs of Kansas.”

The Kansas Department of Transportation and Amtrak are currently finalizing the scope of a feasibility study to determine what would be the most beneficial way to go about expanding service to Kansas.

The feasibility study will be conducted by Amtrak and paid for by KDOT. Ron Kaufman with KDOT said the study is slated to begin in September and will take about six months to complete.

Therein lays the issue for alliance members and getting information to the state legislature during sessions where the comprehensive transportation plan will be discussed.

The alliance is looking for the state government to help with initial funding of the project as well as long term subsidy-type of funding for passenger rail service.

Autumn Heithaus, Kansas executive director of the Northern Flyer Alliance, wants to continue to move forward with providing law makers in Topeka with information about why the group and its supporters feel passenger rail service should be included in the transportation plan even if the feasibility study isn’t complete.

Gathering as much support, Heithaus said, is important and the agency is now targeting chamber of commerce, visitor bureaus, economic development agencies and other community organizations along the route from Kansas City to the Oklahoma border to show their support.

Proposed stops along the expanded route include Kansas City, Lawrence, Topeka, Emporia, Newton, Wichita and Mulvane.

As fuel prices remain above $3 per gallon, Evan Stair, Oklahoma director of the alliance, said ridership of Amtrak has increased over the summer along the Heartland Flyer route from Oklahoma City to Fort Worth and has been full throughout the summer months. Ridership has increased about 40 percent along the route, while nationally ridership has increased about 14 percent.

“This shows the importance of developing additional services in the region that will help connectivity with the rest of the nation,” Stair said.