Kansas DOT releases study of Heartland Flyer extension

[eagle628]

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/article/Kansas-DOT-releases-passengerrail-service-development-plan--29070

Study into new service (it doesn't actually mention the Heartland Flyer in the article) between Kansas and Fort Worth, presumably it would use the Heartland Flyer line. DOT came up with two options: a night train to Newton, guess it would connect with the Southwest Chief, could probably work as just an extension of the existing train, or a day train from Fort Worth to Kansas City. Costs? $87.5 million and $245.5 million in start-up costs, respectively, and $4.4 million and $10 million in annual subsidy.

I suppose both ideas have benefits and downsides...a night train would be...well...a night train, but you'd have northbound connections, while a day train would be good for local travel, but hopeless for connecting anywhere (maybe a connection at KC with the River Runner for St. Louis, at best?

There was an Amtrak study a year or so ago about this extension, don't know if this is related, or if it's seperate and the Amtrak study stalled after the study phase. The article does say that this state study is required to get federal funding, so I suppose that's one hoop jumped through.

 

[dart330]

I posted this the other day, the full service development plan can be found here: http://www.ksdot.org/PDF_Files/PDF-Passenger-Rail-SDP.pdf

I will be shocked if KDOT actually persues this, they seem to be more of a highway department than a transportation department. They claim it will take 6 years to just extend the Heartland Flyer to Newton, and that is if they get approval for the project.