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RAIL ADVOCATES URGE: 'GET HIGH-SPEED RAIL INTO STIMULUS PACKAGE' Midwest High Speed Rail group leads effort 11/27/2008

The Empire Builder serves Milwaukee, Columbus, Portage and Wisconsin Dells in our area

ADVISORY: For the latest on fast-moving Amtrak developments, check the Web site of the National Association of Railroad Passengers. Look for the Hotline link. For its vision of a 21st Century passenger network, go to our story on the NARP Plan. For the latest news articles, also sign up at Google News Alerts" by entering "Amtrak" as your e-mail alert choice. Also read below for information about ProRail Travel and Prorail Action alerts.

THE MIDWEST HIGH SPEED RAIL ASSOCIATION IS URGING passenger rail advocates to sign on to an appeal to President-Elect Barack Obama and the U.S. Congress to use $5 billion of the economic stimulus funds for high-speed rail projects.

The arguments in favor of the proposal are available here, as is a link to page where you can send a message -- either the model one provided there or one of your own composition -- to your representatives in Congress and to the President-Elect. Or click here to go directly to the "letter" page.

You also can send a separate message simply saying you want high-speed trains in the Midwest here.

ProRail is a supporter of the Midwest High Speed Rail Association.

COACH USA/VAN GALDER HAS ADDED A SIXTH daily roundtrip run between Madison and Chicago Union Station. More

AMTRAK'S EMPIRE BUILDER AND ACELA TRAINS are among trains being profiled on a new eight part cable television series, "Extreme Trains," which began Nov. 11. More

AMTRAK SERVICE TO AND FROM MADISON COULD ARRIVE BY LATE 2012, according to Wisconsin's Transportation Secretary in the Madison Capital Times Oct. 9 and a subsequent WisDOT announcement.

According to the report: "Wisconsin has put rail lines in place, and the route has already passed environmental muster with the U.S. Department of Transportation. And the state Legislature has already authorized bonding for $80 million to put toward the state's 20 percent share of the $441 million cost."

A subsequent WisDOT announcement said service could begin as soon as December 2012, if all goes as planned. Read the full report here.

A Capital Times columnist says Oct. 20 there's "good news at last for passenger rail" with the vote. Click here.

ORDER YOUR 2009 AMTRAK WALL CALENDAR NOW. Full details with calendar reproduction here.

NEW AMTRAK TIMETABLES took effect Oct. 27. Order a printed national timetable showing all routes and schedules here. For the first time ever, Amtrak has its full national system timetable available for download as one file (caution: 9.27 MB .pdf file) here.

THE CHICAGO-BOUND EMPIRE BUILDER is shown arriving in Columbus, Wis., March 8, 2008, on its journey from Seattle/Portland in this 1:09 minute video. Columbus is the closest Amtrak station to Madison.

ROUTE SPOTLIGHTS: READ TRIP REPORTS on selected Amtrak trains here. Newly-added: Lake Shore Limited, Silver Star and Auto Train.

THERE CURRENTLY IS NO PRORAIL MEETING SCHEDULED in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, stay informed by signing up for email updates from ProRail Travel and ProRail Action explained below.

"This is the first time in history that an emerging mode of transportation is one that already exists." -- Amtrak's then-President and CEO Alex Kummant Oct. 10, 2008, on the growing public support of and demand for more passenger trains.

READ THE TOP 10 REASONS to travel by passenger trains here.

THE CANADIAN PACIFIC'S 10th ANNIVERSARY 'HOLIDAY TRAIN' festooned with thousands of Christmas lights visits Wisconsin for three days in early December to raise food, money and awareness for local food banks. It will make seven stops, each for about 30 minutes, in the state. For more details, click here.

PLANNING A TRAIN TRIP? If you have questions or are looking for Web links to help you plan your trip, get advice from experienced train travelers. Send an email to prorailtravel-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit ProRail Travel to sign up.

WANT TO BE ACTIVE IN GETTING MORE TRAINS? Then subscribe to ProRail Action, an email message service that provides current information about passenger rail developments with emphasis on Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest, with suggestions for action. Send an email to prorailaction-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or visit ProRail Action to sign up.