ProRailHelping people travel by train
-- and have more trains to travel

Passenger rail advocates gathering Oct. 25 in Madison Next steps for Chicago-Madison rail service main focus 10/05/2008

The Empire Builder serves Milwaukee, Columbus, Portage and Wisconsin Dells in our area

ADVISORY: For the latest on fast-moving Amtrak developments, check the Web site of the National Association of Railroad Passengers. Look for the Hotline link. For its vision of a 21st Century passenger network, go to our story on the NARP Plan. For the latest news articles, also sign up at Google News Alerts" by entering "Amtrak" as your e-mail alert choice. Also read below for information about ProRail Travel and Prorail Action alerts..

CHICAGO-MILWAUKEE-MADISON SERVICE: WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?

Officials of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation will brief passenger rail advocates Saturday, Oct. 25, on the next steps likely for service to Madison and between Milwaukee and Chicago as a result of historic federal legislation passed by Congress Oct. 1. The Madison meeting will be held at the Rodeway Inn.

The Congress approved and sent to the President a five-year Amtrak reauthorization bill that the White House said he would sign. Besides authorizing funding for Amtrak for the next five years, it also created a grants program for use by states wanting to expand passenger rail service.

The focus of this meeting will be the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's plans for Milwaukee - Madison service and beyond. "There will be a lot of detail presented," according to Mark Weitenbeck of the Wisconsin Association of Railroad Passengers, the group sponsoring the event. "You will see how much planning goes into a rail project."

Some specific topics include updates on engineering and construction of proposed Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison rail service and track improvements for the Madison-Portage track in anticipation of eventual extension of service from Madison to the Twin Cities.

The Association now is taking registrations for the meeting at the Rodeway Inn in Madison. The public is welcome to register and attend. Download a registration form in our Documents section.

The meeting starts at 10 a.m. (with coffee and donuts available at 9 a.m.) and will conclude at 3 p.m. There is an included noon luncheon.

The early-bird registration ($25 fee) deadline is Oct. 18. Registration is $30 a person thereafter.

The Rodeway Inn address is 4916 E. Broadway, near the Dutch Mill parking lot used by Amtrak Thruway buses operated by Coach USA (Van Galder). There's plenty of free parking at the motel.

THERE CURRENTLY IS NO PRORAIL MEETING SCHEDULED for the coming weeks. Please check back from time to time for updates.

Meanwhile, stay current on what's happening by subscribing to the ProRail Travel and/or ProRail Action news services, depending on your interests. See more below.

ROUTE SPOTLIGHT: AMTRAK'S OKLAHOMA-TEXAS 'HEARTLAND FLYER'

If you're considering booking a trip aboard Amtrak's Heartland Flyer, you might want to check out the train's Web site at www.heartlandflyer.com

The Heartland Flyer runs a 418-mile daily round trip between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, Texas, with five intermediate stops, including Norman, Okla., the home of the University of Oklahoma.

The Flyer has a reputation for on-time service and consistently ranks among the best rail lines in the nation in customer satisfaction, according to Joe Yannuzzi, general superintendent for Amtrak's Southwest division, as quoted in the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram Sept. 1, 2008.

The Web site includes a full-color map showing the route, a copy of the printed route schedule showing arrival and departure times, route mileage, and other station information along the entire route, and travel guides for each of the seven stations on the route,

The guides include hotel and local transportation information, as well as local attractions to visit if you're staying, current weather, a calendar of upcoming community events, and links to additional sources of information.

There's also information about the Heartland Flyer's Kids and Seniors Clubs and a history of the train, plus various photo albums from past trips and news about upcoming train-related events such as the Trails & Rails schedule.

Two other bits of information about the Web site:

-- The "Contact Us" link on the menu bar was not functioning when we tried it.

-- The "Reservations" link also located there opens a second window which takes you directly to the Amtrak Web site. If you try to backtrack directly from the Amtrak site to the Heartland Flyer site, you can't. .

According to "The Road Warrior" column in the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram Sept. 1:

"Amtrak's Heartland Flyer is enjoying a spike in ridership amid higher gas prices.

"In July, 11, 721 people took the daily 206-mile, Fort Worth-to-Oklahoma City route, compared with 8,362 riders the same month a year ago. For the 10 months ending July 31, ridership was up 17 percent. "And it looks as if the route will be around awhile longer."

"Texas and Oklahoma spend about $2 million a year each to subsidize the line. Last week, the Texas Transportation Commission approved its annual payment.

"Flyer riders can connect to the national Amtrak system in Fort Worth. Fort Worth is also served daily by the Texas Eagle, which offers travel to San Antonio and to Chicago.

"Oklahoma officials are studying a possible expansion to Tulsa.

"Heartland Flyer Amtrak operates the Heartland Flyer between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City 365 days a year. Fare: $50 round trip if purchased in advance.

"Red River Rivalry: A special Flyer will operate Oct. 10 for fans attending the annual Texas-Oklahoma football game at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The route, which normally ends in Fort Worth, will go to Dallas. A return trip will be available Oct. 12. The fare will be $40, but it’s not available online. Call 800-USA-RAIL and ask for fare code X237. Source: Amtrak"

PLANNING A TRAIN TRIP? If you have questions or are looking for Web links to help you plan your trip, get advice from experienced train travelers. Send an email to prorailtravel-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit ProRail Travel to sign up. (This is a separate Web site; use your back browser to return to this Web page.)

WANT TO BE ACTIVE IN GETTING MORE TRAINS? Then subscribe to ProRail Action, an email message service that provides current information about passenger rail developments with emphasis on Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest, with suggestions for action. Send an email to prorailaction-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit ProRail Action to sign up.