Now is the opportunity to bring back rail to Montana

Michael Ackley lives in Missoula, which means that if he wants to attend a legislative hearing in Helena, he drives there. He’s done so twice this session, and plans on making the trip again within the next few weeks.

But if Ackley’s efforts are ultimately successful, he will one day take a passenger train to the state Capitol instead. Ackley, who is with the National Association of Railroad Passengers, supports several bills that would help fund passenger rail service in Montana – and is helping to push the idea of resurrecting a rail line through the southern portion of the state.

It has been 30 years now since Missoula was a stop on the North Coast Hiawatha Route, which connected the Garden City to Billings, Bozeman and Butte, among others. Although many fans of train travel have long wanted to see the old line reinstated and the idea has widespread support, the biggest obstacle is a question of costs and who would pay them.

Full Story: http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2009/02/10/opinion/opinion13.txt