Culbertson, MT anyone?

[Palmetto]

Culbertson is still being considered as an Amtrak stop. It's between Williston and Wolf Point--a long stretch--on the route of the Empire Builder. I think that when this was first proposed a few years ago, the stop would've seen a bit of business due to the Bakken activity. Not so sure, now. The city is looking into a way to get a platform and station in service.

 

[Ziv]

Culbertson is just 42 miles from Williston and 54 miles from Wolf Point. Culbertson has around 800 people and Plentywood has around 2,000. There are a ton of smaller towns near there, but they don't add up to a lot of traffic for Amtrak. I grew up in Glasgow and would love to see Culbertson and Plentywood get more service but I wonder if a Culbertson station would get enough traffic to convince Amtrak that it is worth it.

If I were one of the big wigs in Culbertson or Plentywood, I would be checking to see if a platform and some form of cover would convince Amtrak to stop there. But given the trouble Amtrak has maintaining their schedule if any delays at all occur in that area due to the heavy oil tanker traffic, I am not sure that it would be a great idea to tempt fate by adding another stop.

 

[CHamilton]

At the AORTA meeting last weekend, we were told that everyone involved wants to see a Culbertson station happen. Now it's a matter of having the city apply for a grant to pay for it.

 

[Ziv]

I just saw the state fact sheets for Wolf Point and Williston in a separate thread. Given those figures, I can see why Culbertson may deserve a stop of their own. Wolf Point is smaller than Glasgow but has 5662 vs. 4762 "boardings or alightings" in 2016. And Williston has a pretty respectable 28,000.

 

[Palmetto]

Alot of the Williston ridership was due to oil field workers, IINM.

 

[CHamilton]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 5, 2016

Daines Announces Amtrak Report on Potential Stop in Culbertson

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced the release of an Amtrak report on developing passenger rail service in the Bakken Region.

This report was required by language drafted by Daines in the Fiscal Year 2016 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, reported out of Committee on June 25, 2015.

“Amtrak plays a critical role in connectivity along Montana’s Hi-Line. Reinstating the stop in Culbertson will increase the transportation options for people in northeastern Montana” Daines stated. “I am glad Amtrak has publicly agreed to this concept and recognizes the net positive benefit of this stop to their budget.”

“I’m excited to see that Amtrak still recognizes the potential for adding a stop to the Empire Builder line in Culbertson despite the current downturn in the Bakken,” Culbertson Mayor Gordon Oelkers. “I’m grateful for Senator Daines’ commitment to helping our area add this stop and I am eager to continue to work with his staff, Amtrak, BNSF, and others to move this project forward.”

Daines has also called on Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Boardman to work with Eastern Montana stakeholders and reinstate the Empire Builder stop.

Daines is a member of both the authorizing and appropriating committees in the U.S. Senate responsible for federal transportation programs, both the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations.

Daines was a strong advocate for the FAST Act, a five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill which also authorized operation grants to Amtrak – the first long-term highway funding bill since 2009.

Daines also secured language in the FAST Act requiring Amtrak to evaluate options for establishing additional Amtrak stops that would have a positive financial impact to Amtrak, including the potential station in Culbertson, Montana. It also requires evaluation of options to enhance economic development and accessibility of Amtrak stations and their surrounding areas.


###

EmpireBuilder_BakkenRegion 11.18.16.pdf

 

[willem]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 5, 2016

[...]

Daines has also called on Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Boardman to work with Eastern Montana stakeholders and reinstate the Empire Builder stop.

My opinion of a senator who is trying to tell Amtrak (or anyone else, for that matter) to do something is adversely affected when the senator does not know who is in charge. Am I being too harsh?

 

[Maglev]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 5, 2016

[...]

Daines has also called on Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Boardman to work with Eastern Montana stakeholders and reinstate the Empire Builder stop.

My opinion of a senator who is trying to tell Amtrak (or anyone else, for that matter) to do something is adversely affected when the senator does not know who is in charge. Am I being too harsh?

I think Senator Daines called on Boardman while he was still in charge. It is probably the author of the press release who does not know who is in charge at Amtrak.