Amtrak Looks to Expand Rail Service in Indiana
Amtrak
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowCOLUMBUS, Ind. - The nation’s passenger rail system is looking to expand routes throughout the country, including a new path that would travel from Chicago to Louisville. The Republic reports among the numerous stops on the Amtrak line from northwest to southern Indiana could be a new stop in Columbus.
Amtrak’s proposal stems from $66 billion earmarked for passenger rail transportation in the infrastructure bill currently in Congress.
The current plan includes four daily roundtrips from Chicago to Louisville.
Additional stops include Dyer, Rensselaer, Lafayette, Crawfordsville, downtown Indianapolis, the Indianapolis International Airport, Columbus and Jeffersonville.
Amtrak says it would take about 5 hours, 45 minutes to travel from Louisville to Chicago and 3 hours, 35 minutes from Indianapolis to Chicago.
Until July 2019, Indianapolis had daily a passenger train to Chicago on service known as the Hoosier State, but it shut down after the General Assembly voted to not approve its budget.
The publication reports a project like this would be years in the making. It would include discussions with numerous stakeholders, including cities. They would include negotiations over trackage rights, technological and infrastructure upgrades and costs.
Click here to read The Republic’s coverage about the proposed stop in Columbus and what would be involved.