The North Coast Hiawatha-Part 2

This week’s post is the second and final piece addressing proposals to re-establish passenger rail traffic through southern Montana. These posts have drawn heavily on sources close to the subject and I greatly appreciate the transparency of those involved.

Hopefully you will have a sense of what proponents are embracing in their arguments as well as questions that are yet to be answered. Next week in the post’s “On Charley’s Mind” section you’ll find out what I think about the idea!

Thanks!!!

Charley Pike

Overheard last week!

“Have you ever wondered why we have to pay taxes when the government can print all the money it wants?”

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Feature—The North Coast Hiawatha Reborn?

Fish ON!—Walleye Wacker Contest Part #3

Where’s this Picture?

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Late in 2023 the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration awarded $500,000 to the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority to explore the feasibility of restoring passenger rail service through southern Montana.

The introduction of this story was posted on montanacharley.com last week — May 6.

By the end of 2024, our state’s Congressional delegation may be faced with proposing legislation giving the green light to a new era of railroading in Montana.

The last North Coast Hiawatha passenger train ran through Montana in 1979. Could reopening the former Amtrak route through southern Montana and North Dakota now be feasible?

The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA) says reestablishing the Hiawatha would transform Montana. In generating million of dollars per year in economic activity, it would create new jobs as well as provide options of transportation across the two states, says the BSPRA.

But, the Authority sees itself backing more than just passenger rail service in Montana.

“It’s time to provide passenger rail service to all of America,” says the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority "We're planning on something that will be transformational across Montana."

Unconsidered Costs…?

BSPRA says much of the infrastructure needed to get the Hiawatha running again already exists. But, one of the major infrastructure considerations in re-building the Hiawatha is overcoming the already near- to over-capacity traffic along existing freight lines.

Unknown miles of new sidings will have to be engineered and built, allowing freight and passenger traffic to pass each other. Easements will need to be acquired and environmental impact studies will be necessary.

Depending on the exact routes selected, it’s likely new trackage will have to be constructed—such as over the Continental Divide near Butte if the “Mining City” is included in the Hiawatha route.

Even along it’s well-established High-Line route, Amtrak recently had to rely on a $14.9 million federal grant to build a new section of double-track on the Empire Builder passenger route near Malta. The problem was congestion with freight traffic in that area.

It's unclear too if the BSRPA analysis includes projected costs of updating and improving highway and country RxR crossings. Also, unclear is the cost of restoring bridges, tunnels, and trestles to and bringing them up to passenger rail standards. New signaling devices, communications systems, along with additional switchyards and maintenance infrastructure need to be considered.

Most, if not all, of the old Hiawatha passenger stations have been abandoned, demolished, or repurposed over the past 45 years. Questions exist as to funding the restoration or re-building the 10-14 stations proposed for Montana.

Cost considerations also need to include compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, a law that didn’t exist in 1979. ADA-compliant long-and short-term parking areas, waiting rooms, ticketing, and baggage handling facilities will have to be added to the new or re-built stations.

A Broader Mission

The BSRPA released its 95-page Public Engagement Report last July. Meanwhile the organization is actively lobbying for the Hiawatha—along with a broader mission aimed at reopening other long-abandoned passenger as well as freight lines and railroad spurs across the state.

“With enough money and political will, anything is possible,” says the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority in it’s Passenger Rail Facts. “Everything is on the table.”

There are still several county governments in Montana that have not bought into the new Hiawatha idea. Those hold-out-county officials say that the subsidy costs passed on to taxpayers would be enormous and question the economic benefits.

Advocates argue though, that every other means of transportation—auto, truck, air, bus—receive vast amounts of federal and state subsidies.

The Federal Highway Trust Fund, the major source of federal highway funding, has been spending more than gas taxes bring in for two decades and is expected to be insolvent by 2028, wrote Kathleen Gallagher in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last summer.

“All transportation options are subsidized one way or another,” says Gallagher. “Some subsidies are just more obvious.”

BSPRA says it’s time to provide passenger rail service to all of America. “Now is the time for rail advocates and policymakers from across the region to start coordinating to ensure the ‘second rail revolution’ doesn’t pass us by.”

A Montana Conundrum

The conservative think tank Cato Institute wants to pull on the reins of the passenger rail expansion movement and look at improving what we already have.

“Amtrak spends a lot maintaining service on slow and money‐​losing routes instead of focusing on routes with heavier traffic that make more economic and environmental sense,” says Cato’s Chris Edwards, in the institute’s Handbook for Policymakers.

Edwards says that probably isn’t going to happen. He believes the billions in cash infusion to Amtrak in the 2021 Infrastructure Bill will be spent on expanding services to highly unprofitable and low‐​value routes—like the Hiawatha.

Even Gallagher tends to agree with Edwards’ view that subsidies should be spent on higher traffic routes—creating a conundrum for Montanans.

“Forget the tired argument we don’t have enough (population) density,” Gallagher continued, arguing for expansion of passenger rail. “That’s true in Wyoming or Montana. But, the Great Lakes region has enough density to justify—in fact demand—passenger rail.”

The Romance of Train Travel

So far we’ve looked at the pros and cons of bringing back the Hiawatha. Most arguments are over the costs… Little has been said though about the romance of train travel.

And the safety of train travel over highway travel is inarguable—adding to the bliss.

Hands down, those of us who have ridden trains know it’s hard beat a railroad coach when it comes to out-of-pocket value and comfort. Everybody gets to enjoy the scenery.

Everybody gets to ride shotgun! Everybody gets to relax. No stopping for a bathroom break! Take a snooze anytime! Just sit back and have a drink!

Read “Traveling by Train: Six Reasons I’ll Always Opt for Trains Over Planes” by Daniel James Clark on the Matador Network for another sense of passenger rail heaven.

But at the end of the day, the onus is on our public decisionmakers to sort out the pros and cons—and at some point give restoration of the North Coast Hiawatha the thumbs up or thumbs down.

Check Charley’s blog next week for his analysis and opinion of the plans to restore the North Coast Hiawatha to its old glory days!

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So if you’ve checked out “Montana Charley” on Facebook you might know about these Walleye Whackers!!!

You can have your own three-piece collection of Charley's Custom-Made World Famous Walleye Whackers by winning this contest.

Find the answer and ask the question!

Beginning with the April 29th post and ending with this week’s post you’ll find a link to an embedded answer to anything walleye Montana. It’s like “Jeopardy” except you have to sleuth out the answer and then form the question. Send your question with the answer to [email protected].

Remember it’s a three-part contest. If you missed Answers #1 or #2 (April 29th & May 6) you still have time to go back to www.montanacharley.com and look for it.

To help you out, there will be a clue!!!

Answer #3— Click this link to find the third and last answer.

Clue: He’s a Good Guide

The person with the first correct three answers wins the three-piece collection of custom-made World Famous Walleye Whackers. Answers will be published next in week’s post.

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Where’s this picture? If you can identify this location in Montana, message [email protected]!

The scene in the April 29th post was Chief Mountain located in the northeast corner of Glacier National Park and the Blackfeet Reservation.

For people of the Blackfoot Confederacy, which includes tribes in the U.S. and Canada, Chief Mountain has helped define their territory for millennia. Named “Ninaistako” by the Blackfeet, the mountain holds great power and ancient knowledge.

Use of the mountain for ritual and ceremonial purposes goes back thousands of years. It is a sacred area. Chief Mountain is considered the oldest spirit of any of the mountains and creation stories of the Blackfeet are linked to it.

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