Minneapolis to Duluth

[lattasnip9]

hi, whats this I hear about the reopening of the Minneapolis to Duluth train.  Is it true and could it start in the next four or five years or is it just a rumor?

[CG9602]

A lot of it depends upon the funding. No funding = no passenger service. There were a couple of studies done earlier this year, but the service - if it gains approval - will be a couple of years in the future.

[lattasnip9]

cool

[lattasnip9]

i've heard that they got alot of the counties on the proposed line financial support secured except for one or two counties.

[lattasnip9]

also, for that kind of milage, about 200 miles, would it be a commuter style railroad like the ones in Massechusets and Chicago or a traditional Amtak style train?

[Anonymous]

I think it would be subsidized transportation like the Northstar project.

[wjstix]

also, for that kind of milage, about 200 miles, would it be a commuter style railroad like the ones in Massechusets and Chicago or a traditional Amtak style train?

It sounds like it wouldn't be a commuter train, it would probably be more like the old Amtrak "Northstar" which ran in the 70's-80's. It was usually about 5 cars long; interestingly, it was apparently one of the first Amtrak trains to get Superliners in 1979-80. For a time, it also carried a thru sleeping car for Chicago. 

It was actually a fairly well patronized train, but when the states had their budget crunches in the early 80's, Minnesota couldn't afford to subsidize it, so Amtrak dropped it.