Amtrak officials have said they have no interest in moving the Southwest Chief line from its current route, but that doesn’t mean the future of the line is set in stone.
A group of about 30 concerned city and county officials, state official representatives, passenger rail supporters and community members from the three states — Colorado, Kansas and New Mexico — which will be economically affected if the route moves met in La Junta last week to begin forming a Southwest Chief Coalition.
The coalition will work together to discuss obstacles, find supporters, look at funding sources — all as a unified voice.
“I don’t think there’s a choice to fail,” said La Junta City Manager Rick Klein, explaining the priority this group should have is to keep Amtrak on its current route.
Representing Colorado in the coalition will be La Junta Mayor Don Rizzuto and City Manger Rick Klein. New Mexico and Kansas will also be represented by two individuals.
In August, it was announced to La Junta that the Southwest Chief passenger rail line that travels through southeastern Colorado, including La Junta, Lamar and Trinidad, is being threatened due to an increase in maintenance costs — costs that Amtrak isn’t sure it can provide.
Currently, Burlington Northern Santa Fe owns the lines. Due to decreased use of the rail line through western Kansas, southeast Colorado and northern New Mexico, BNSF can run at reduced speeds which requires less maintenance by BNSF. However, running at a reduced speed doesn’t work for passenger trains.
The maintenance contract ends in 2015.
Gary Carter, board member of the Colorado Rail Association, told La Junta City Council in August that BNSF officials have said they, along with Amtrak officials, would prefer to keep this line where it is, but it’s finding the funding that is raising an issue.
“We need to start planning for it and need to start getting the money lined up,” Carter said in August.
In order to maintain the track, Amtrak has said $94 million would be needed in the first year to bring the rail up to standards and an additional $10 to $11 million per year for maintenance. This would allow Amtrak to run at least at 50 mph across Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico.
Speeds are considerably lowered over Raton Pass due to the terrain.
However, Amtrak isn’t sure they can come up with this money and has approached municipalities, encouraging them to begin discussion on how they might be able to provide funding for the rail to keep it traveling through this area.
The city of La Junta, in September, passed a resolution saying it supported keeping the Amtrak line local.
But, if Amtrak or municipalities are unable to provide the necessary funding, the line could move out of this area and take a different route.
That move would impact the areas in western Kansas, southern Colorado and northern New Mexico drastically.
The coalition will continue to meet in the next few months and years to develop a plan to keep the passenger rail on its current route.
