From Global Railway Review; March 1, 2019
The Rail Passengers Association recently issued its Impacts From A Second Train To Minnesota ‘Research Note’, which assessed the benefits of operating a second daily train between Chicago and Twin Cities.
The report estimates that there could be an economic return of eight to 10 times Minnesota’s annual net spending to support the potential new service, which is an estimated $2 to $3 million annually. In a review of a previous Amtrak feasibility study, the Rail Passengers Association also found that the overall economic benefit for three states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois would be $47 million annually – a return on investment of better than seven-to-one.