by Kristin Thompson

On January 14^th, WTS members and friends gathered at DeGidio's in St. Paul to learn more about the future of Minnesota's rail network. Dave Christianson of Mn/DOT shared some background and key components of the Minnesota Comprehensive Statewide Freight and Passenger Rail Plan.

The plan breaks new ground for Minnesota: No freight rail plan has been developed since 1994, and no passenger rail plan has ever been produced. Minnesota is one of the first four states in the union to have a federally compliant comprehensive rail plan.

Many are unaware of the important role freight rail plays in our state. Minnesota is above average for the nation in the tonnage and value of goods transported by rail, and has the 8^th highest rail mileage of any state. One important component of the freight rail plan is the implementation of positive train control, which improves safety by using a combination of GPS and cell technology to control trains.

The passenger rail portion of the plan, which focuses on intercity rail, calls for ambitious improvements in the coming decades. While today's intercity service is limited to a single round trip per day on Amtrak's Empire Builder, the rail plan envisions a network of passenger rail links connecting cities such as St. Cloud, Duluth, and Rochester to both Minneapolis and St. Paul. Minnesota is also working with the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative to develop 110 mph service to Chicago, with annual ridership expected to be 3-4 million.

The first phase of investment (through 2030) has a price tag of $6.2 to $9.5 billion. Funding will come from a variety of sources, including passenger farebox recovery and private freight railroad investment as well as local and state funding. Christianson noted that these investments can pay off in form of economic development, travel advantages, and VMT and greenhouse gas reductions.