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Re: News Item -- Passenger Service over Stampede Pass
Author: David Smith
Date: 10-15-2008 - 17:45
My guess is that this service would be in conjunction with the proposed return of the North Coast Hiawatha through Montana's I-90 corridor. However, I believe the Montana proposals have Spokane as the western terminus, with passengers having the option of boarding one of the Empire Builder sections to get to Seattle or Portland.
That being said, I would also point out that southern Idaho passenger rail enthusiasts are pining for a return of the Pioneer which used to run from Salt Lake City to Portland. If that effort was successful, it seems to me that it would make more sense to reroute the revived Pioneer over the Stampede Pass line, diverting off the UP at Hinkle up to Pasco, thence onward over the ex-NP via Ellensburg. Portland-bound travelers on the Pioneer could simply cross board over to the Portland section of the Builder in Pasco. Kittitas county residents who wanted to travel eastward through Montana by rail could cross board from the rerouted Pioneer at Pasco to the eastbound section of the Builder to Spokane, etc.
At least this would limit passenger trains through the Gorge to one instead of two..
That being said, I would also point out that southern Idaho passenger rail enthusiasts are pining for a return of the Pioneer which used to run from Salt Lake City to Portland. If that effort was successful, it seems to me that it would make more sense to reroute the revived Pioneer over the Stampede Pass line, diverting off the UP at Hinkle up to Pasco, thence onward over the ex-NP via Ellensburg. Portland-bound travelers on the Pioneer could simply cross board over to the Portland section of the Builder in Pasco. Kittitas county residents who wanted to travel eastward through Montana by rail could cross board from the rerouted Pioneer at Pasco to the eastbound section of the Builder to Spokane, etc.
At least this would limit passenger trains through the Gorge to one instead of two..
