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Today, Amtrak will host its seventh "civic conversation" to inform local community leaders about the railroad's experience with improving, redeveloping or restoring train stations to support growing passenger-rail demand.

The meeting will be held in Huntington, W. Va., and focus on communities located along the Cardinal route, from New York City to Cincinnati to Chicago. Case studies and presentations of transportation-oriented development and funding sources will be presented, including the restoration of the Amtrak station in Osceola, Iowa, Amtrak officials said in a prepared statement.

Participants also will receive information on how to ensure stations comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Working with communities to improve stations is key because a third of all Amtrak stations are owned by local municipalities, Amtrak officials said.

"Improving stations is vital to the continued interest and growth of passenger rail, demonstrated by 15 consecutive months of Amtrak ridership growth," they said. "Of the 528 stations Amtrak services, Amtrak and other railroads each own about 27 percent, 8 percent are privately owned and the remaining 5 percent are owned by other entities, such as port authorities, commuter railroads or transit agencies."