FRA sends Amtrak long-distance service study to Congress

The Federal Railroad Administration has sent to Congress a long-awaited report of Amtrak's daily long-distance service.

In the report, the FRA prioritizes 15 new long-distance routes and calls for restoration of Amtrak's daily service on its Cardinal and Sunset Limited routes. The FRA worked on the study from 2022 to 2024, during which time it received over 50,000 stakeholder and public comments that indicated overwhelming support for long-distance services or passenger rail in general, the report states.

The final report also recommends consideration of a new long-distance committee made up of stakeholders from across the country — including host railroads, states and communities served by Amtrak long-distance routes, Amtrak and the FRA — that could serve as a forum for feedback and discussion related to current Amtrak long-distance service. The report does not include recommendations for restoration or enhancement of state-supported service, the Northeast Corridor, high-speed rail, or other types of passenger rail service.

Although a "great start," the recommendations as outlined could take too long to implement, Rail Passengers Association President Jim Mathews said in a press release.

"We need more short-term, practical route investments to show how it can be done quickly and well,” Mathews added. “That means doing a few routes now where it can make sense, along the lines of bringing back the Broadway Limited or connecting New Orleans to St. Louis.”

To view the final report, click here.