Missouri Amtrak Service

I'll guess someone managed to get that thrown in as a condition for their vote on the larger plan. Give it a few weeks and someone will take credit for it.

Now we wait. Governor Parsons has a line item veto option. He’s been known to line out items not in his proposal. Then will come the veto session later in summer.

Bob Roberts wrote: ↑Mon May 09, 2022 1:47 pm Looks like Missouri decided they needed twice a day service after all:

Other budget items approved by the Senate committee, $2.4 million to fully fund the twice-daily Amtrak service that runs between St. Louis and Kansas City, known as the River Runner. The train was reduced to one trip a day back in January due to a lack of funding.

https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/lawma ... ssourians/

I admit that raises the possibility of keeping twice a day service on the River Runner, but let me remind everyone the Missouri Senate is not the Missouri Legislature, nor the Governor who also have a voice on how many trains should be ran.

electricron wrote: ↑Sat May 21, 2022 2:39 pm I admit that raises the possibility of keeping twice a day service on the River Runner, but let me remind everyone the Missouri Senate is not the Missouri Legislature, nor the Governor who also have a voice on how many trains should be ran.

I'll need a refresher if the Missouri Legislature can override the Governor's veto or not...

Line item veto items can be reviewed when the legislature is in session and overriden with a two-thirds majority. They're adjourned until Sept 14th when they'll reconvene to consider items vetoed.

Gov has until July 1 to approve or veto Amtrak funding in the appropriations bill (which appears to have been approved by both chambers, not just the Senate). My guess is it's not a big enough item to bother with.

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The Lincoln Service run through STL to KC seems to have started. Recent photos show it running with new Vision coaches. Believe it is number 318 and 319.

Perhaps the run-through setup has saved a bit of money and improved the operational efficiency of running the service and maybe that's why they have considered reinstating the second frequency. Would they also likely run the second frequency as a run through (not being familiar with the schedules of either line so that's why I'm asking.)

In the past when they had run through service, it was only one train a day (hard to do run through on a morning departure from KC or STL as you have to allow time to get to or from Chicago). In addition, KC to Chicago is served more directly by the SW Chief (which goes directly instead of via STL) offering another option.

StLouSteve wrote: ↑Tue May 31, 2022 7:32 am The Lincoln Service run through STL to KC seems to have started. Recent photos show it running with new Vision coaches. Believe it is number 318 and 319.

The Ann Rutledge has returned.

If he hasn't already, the Governor of Missouri has two days to sign the FY 2023 budget into law. Has he done so yet, and more importantly, is the funding for restoring the second Missouri River Runner frequency still in the budget?

Looks like Gov Parson signed the budget and although he lined out numerous items, Amtrak appears to have made the cut so funding for a second Mo train is "back on track."

https://www.kfvs12.com/2022/06/30/gov-p ... get-bills/

That's wonderful news. Hopefully UP won't fight MODOT on the return of the second frequency. I also have a question concerning passenger rail expansion in Missouri. While I know that it will also require a local funding match before it can be built, was the state portion of funding to pay for a new stop on the Southwest Chief in Carrollton, MO approved as well?

No insights on Carrollton but I do know that adding Arcadia to the Eagle route was a multi-year project. I would be curious to see Arcadia's boarding numbers; the stop has not yet been heavily promoted and the boarding times are not the best, plus timekeeping on the Eagle has been hit or miss (although when I rode a week ago, we were pretty much on time STL to CHI and southbound the next day).

Second Mo River Runner frequency (STL--KC) is to start up next week!

Let's hope it stays in place. This frequent ping ponging from one train a day to two and back can't be good for marketing.

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/gov ... 2dc0c.html

Both all stops locals are back in service.