Amtrak Ridership Up For 6th Year; Transportation Officials Look At Expanding Service

November 25, 2008 10:42 a.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Ridership on Amtrak trains is growing nationwide for the sixth straight year with ridership up in Iowa by 3 percent this year and transportation officials studying whether to expand there and reinstate service from Illinois to Washington state.

Some 64,260 passengers got on and off Amtrak trains at six Iowa stations during the 12 months ending Sept. 30, which is a 3 percent hike in travelers over the year before.

That number of Iowa passengers was the highest since Amtrak was established in 1971. However, despite the increase in passengers, the economic slump might mean that Iowa can't come up with its share of the money to expand rail service there.

In the meantime, transportation officials are studying re-instating the North Coast Hiawatha route from Chicago, IL through Bismark, ND and on to Seattle, WA, or parts of it, if it doesn't negatively impact other Amtrak routes.

That route would follow Interstate highways 94 and 90. The study comes following legislation signed last month by President George W. Bush authorizing a year-long study into reviving the route.