This conversation has taken place already elsewhere, so allow me to toss some spaghetti at the wall and see if it sticks. Amtrak is guilty of being FLEECED in upgrading not one but two routes...both for Pan Am/Guilford...the Downeaster from Boston MA to Portland ME, and the Vermonter from Springfield MA to Northfield VT. LARGE sums of money spent on each route to the benefit of Pan Am. So to think about BNSF cashing in on the handout getting the entire Stampede Pass upgraded is not that far fetched if they play their cards right. NOT only would they get their route upgraded, but it could provide the knife in the back to UP, (whom was drawn into the deal of potentially operating on the Stampede Pass line when The Milwaukee Road folded and left the west coast), but would be in this development denied! . (A LOT of people firmly believe that BNSF has dragged their feet for decades about lowering the tunnel at Stampede Pass for the sake of having to allow UP to run on that route) Now, it is true the only city that is going to benefit by this expansion that isn't already served is Ellensburg WA folks. And considering that Amtrak already used to run this route back in the 70's before they changed over to the Stevens Pass route...but on the other hand, for those that know about the choking point of the Steven Pass tunnel, and the fact that ONLY so many trains are going to operate thru that tunnel in a 24 hour period because of the flushing air necessary afterwards...it will be interesting to see how they play their best poker hand in keeping service, and keeping everybody happy. (You can please some of the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you CAN'T please all the people all of the time...)