Dispatches From Big Sky Country

by Sean Jeans-Gail | VP of Gov't Affairs + Policy

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The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority hosted its annual conference this week in Livingston, Montana, where attendees took part in a conversation about how to restore passenger rail service to dozens of communities across the Western U.S.

The Big Sky North Coast Corridor, stretching over 2,300 miles from the Great Lakes to the Pacific Northwest, will link 21 metropolitan areas, hundreds of smaller towns, and dozens of Tribal nations. Livingston is situated at the gateway to Yellowstone National Park, and—with its historic train depot and sweeping mountain views—serves as a reminder of the legacy passenger advocates are building upon, when trains were a foundational lifeline for every Western community.

As a panelist, I had the privilege of speaking alongside tribal leaders, transportation officials, economic experts, and community advocates from across the Greater Western U.S. Attendees heard messages of support from U.S. Senators Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Roger Wicker (R-MS); as well as Representative Troy Downing (R-MT). Amtrak Board Member Elaine Clegg also addressed the conference, describing opportunities and challenges the railroad is facing as it works to improve and expand service across its newtwork.

The theme, Turning Our Stories into Action, elicited stories of communities left behind by decades of disinvestment, of young people leaving rural towns for lack of opportunity, and of senior citizens struggling to access healthcare. But rather than focusing on the negative, these stories offered a blueprint for change. Attendees weren’t just speaking about the pleasures of train travel, they were discussing how to use transportation connections to create opportunity and sustain communities.

The panel I was on examined opportunities to support the Big Sky North Coast Corridor in the upcoming federal surface transportation reauthorization. I was joined by John Robert Smith, Chairman of Transportation for America, and together we outlined policy solutions our organizations are offering to Congress to empower State and local governments that are working to bring passenger rail service to their towns. These policies proposals included:

• Predictable, dedicated funding for passenger rail programs. This will allow States and municipal governments to invest local tax dollars in corridor development activities, confident in the knowledge that the federal government will act as a reliable funding partner.
• National Equipment Leasing Pool: authorizing the purchase of a pool of modern passenger railcars for the use of States, Amtrak, and private rail carriers is key to accelerating the launch of new services. It will also generate thousands of new manufacturing jobs for American workers, lower the per-unit cost of each railcar through economies of scale, and eliminate a barrier to entry for private-sector operators looking to enter the U.S. market.
• National Long-Distance Rail Service Commission: establishing a federal governance structure is key for the introduction of new and improved long-distance service. The FRA’s Long-Distance Service Study was an important first step, but there needs to be follow-through to ensure real execution.
• Speed Project Delivery: it takes too long to introduce new and expanded passenger train service in America. By establishing a “shot clock” for the federal review and permitting process, and enhancing the planning capacity at the FRA, we can dramatically reduce the time it takes to get these trains running.

Advocates can support these goals by using our online platform to ask their members of Congress to support these policies in next year's surface transportation bill.