Federal grant will help keep Southwest Chief running

A southeastern Colorado Amtrak line with an uncertain future received a big boost Tuesday with the announcement of a federal grant.

Eleven Colorado communities along with the state of Kansas, Amtrak and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF) applied for the TIGER transportation grant with the goal of saving the Southwest Chief line.

The US Department of Transportation awarded $12.5 million to save the existing line, which surpasses the $9.3 million Colorado communities and Kansas offered up as a match.

The Southwest Chief line runs from Chicago to Los Angeles. It cuts through the heart of Kansas and the southeastern corner of Colorado.

Amtrak said it would have to reroute the train if rail maintenance, repair and replacement didn’t improve.

As part of the grant application, Amtrak committed to continuing the existing service for twenty years and BNSF has agreed to maintain the new rail for twenty years.

“This is a huge day for Southern Colorado. After three years of uncertainty, the communities of Lamar, La Junta and Trinidad can breathe easier,” said Southwest Chief Commission Chairman Sal Pace.

A stop may be added in Pueblo in the future, but no final decision has been made.