Dispatch from the Third Annual Greater Northwest Rail Summit

By Sean Jeans-Gail, VP of Gov’t Affairs & Policy

Transportation officials and rail advocates from across the western U.S. gathered in Spokane, WA this week for the third annual Greater Northwest Rail Summit, where participants discussed work being done to upgrade the Amtrak Cascades corridor, restore train service to the Pioneer route and the Big Sky North Coast route, and how to build a more resilient and efficient freight network.

The event was co-hosted by All Aboard Northwest, the Pacific Northwest Economic Region’s Regional Infrastructure Accelerator, All Aboard Washington, Association of Oregon Rail and Transit Advocates—and the Northwest Region of your very own Rail Passengers Association. The event was an important gathering for critical transportation stakeholders from across the region, including elected officials and freight railroad representatives. One clear takeaway from the week’s discussions is that elected representatives and local officials are looking to better understand the economic impact of these kinds of transportation investments; as passenger advocates, we’d do well to arm ourselves with the kinds of arguments that resonate with key decision makers.

I was asked to moderate a panel titled “Renaissance for Passenger Rail Across America: From Washington, D.C. to Your Local Depot”, which cast a spotlight on work being funded by the unprecedented investment in rail passed as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The panel featured updates from the Federal Railroad Administration, Amtrak, Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority, Washington State Department of Transportation, and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

While it was heartening to hear about all the work being done to upgrade the Amtrak Cascades corridor (Eugene, OR – Portland, OR – Seattle, WA – Vancouver, BC), as well as restore the North Coast and Pioneer long-distance routes, it also highlighted the need for Congress to recommit to a strong rail program in the upcoming transportation reauthorization. The BIL is set to expire September 2026, and there simply isn’t enough time or funding left to advance more than a fraction of the ready-to-go projects along the 69 corridors selected as part of the Corridor Identification Program. For the Greater Northwest to see these plans come to fruition, we’ll have to help build a strong national coalition of states, cities, towns, and rail industry stakeholders to ensure the BIL isn’t simply a one-off investment.