Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority

Lobbyists representing large industry interests testified against the bill to fund passenger rail in Montana.

The authority would receive $2 million annually until a sunset date on June 30, 2031.

House Bill 848 would create a “Big Sky Rail Account” within the state special revenue fund. It would appropriate $2 million annually to the new rail account and would come from a tax on certain railroad cars.

After a brief meeting with the U.S. Secretary of Transportation this week, the chair of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is feeling optimistic about the realities of a restored Amtrak route across the state's southern tier.

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday made $2.4 billion available to help local railroads modernize both freight and passenger rail infrastructure, and the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority may consider several projects.

The meeting will detail plans for the Northwest rail region, including restoration of the North Coast Hiawatha, which was discontinued in the 1970s.

The Federal Railroad Administration largely passed over the Northwest while doling out more than $8 billion to improve passenger rail service across the nation.

Efforts to restore passenger rail across Montana's southern tier received a significant boost on Friday when the federal government announced $500,000 in seed funding and accepted the route into the Federal Railroad Authority's Corridor Identification Program.

The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority this week welcomed a $150,000 grant to help pursue the restoration of passenger rail across Montana's southern tier – and regions beyond.

Sen. Jon Tester on Tuesday blocked President Joe Biden's nominees to Amtrak's board of directors, saying they heavily favored the populated northeastern states at the expense of rural states.