What
We Promote: Midwest Regional Rail Initiative
The Midwest Regional Rail Initiative (MWRRI) is a cooperative
effort between Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration,
and nine states -- Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin -- to develop an improved
and expanded passenger rail system in the Midwest.
In February 2000, MWRRI released a report conducted by Transportation
Economics & Management Systems, Inc., which outlines a
new vision for passenger rail travel in the Midwest. This
vision is a transportation plan known as the Midwest Regional
Rail System (MWRRS), a 3,000-mile rail network serving nearly
60 million people.
MWRRS would operate as a hub-and-spoke system providing through-service
in Chicago to locations throughout the Midwest. Trains operating
at speeds up to 110 mph would link Chicago with Milwaukee,
Madison and Minneapolis; Des Moines and Omaha; St. Louis and
Kansas City; Indianapolis and Cincinnati; Grand Rapids and
Detroit; Toledo and Cleveland; as well as many smaller cities
and towns.
Increased speeds and service efficiencies would reduce travel
times dramatically. The Chicago-Detroit trip, for example,
would drop from the current six hours to less than four, Chicago-Twin
Cities from the current eight plus to less than six, and St.
Louis-Kansas City from five hours 30 minutes to less than
four hours. The nearly nine hour Chicago-Cincinnati and Chicago-Cleveland
trips would be cut in half.
These efficiencies would be achieved through state-of-the-art
train communication and control systems, highway/railroad
grade crossing safety enhancements, rehabilitation of existing
and construction of new track and sidings. In addition to
a travel time reductions, the system would feature additional
frequencies -- as many as 17 daily roundtrips between Chicago
and Milwaukee (including Amtrak's current long-distance trains).
Over 60 new trainsets would provide passengers with modern
and spacious facilities and offer on-board amenities for business
and leisure travelers. Ridership on the entire system is projected
to skyrocket from the current 1.5 million passengers per year
to 9.6 million passengers per year.
The total capital investment for the MWRRS, including infrastructure
and rolling stock, is estimated to be $4.1 billion (in 1998
dollars). The rolling stock for the entire system will cost
approximately $650 million. Infrastructure improvements required
to implement the MWRRS are estimated to cost $3.4 billion,
or about $1 million per mile. This compares favorably with
typical highway costs of $10 million per mile.
The funding plan consists of a mix of funding sources including
federal loans and grants, state funding, general funds, and
capital and revenue generated from system-related activities,
such as joint development proceeds. Federal funding will be
the primary source of capital funds.
System revenues are projected to cover operating costs, earning
profits of more than $100 million per year. The network would
serve as a catalyst for economic development along the corridors
and for the metropolitan areas with passenger terminals. Benefits
would include $9 billion in new economic activity and 4,000
construction jobs.
Click here for a copy
of the MWRRI Executive Report (1488 KB, requires Adobe Acrobat
Reader).
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