Amtrak service in Idaho: Not just in Sandpoint?

[jonwray]

If you grew up in the late 80s/early 90s in the Nampa/Boise area, you might remember the Amtrak Pioneer, which was discontinued for funding reasons in 1997. Since then, the Nampa, Caldwell, and Boise stations have been turned into museums (At least the Nampa and Boise ones, not sure about the Caldwell one). I read something on Wikipedia about the possibility of the Amtrak Pioneer returning. And since I am around that area, I would like it if returned, since the nearest open Amtrak station is in Salt Lake City, a 12 hour drive there and back without stopping. So, what could be the possibility of the Amtrak Pioneer returning? As far as I know, the Amtrak report on the feasibility just provided info, not a conclusion. It could bring in a bit more revenue to Boise and Nampa, through tourism from all corners of the USA. And it would also give me some other train to hear the horn of besides the UP trains down at Cloverdale or the Boise Valley trains running through town.

 

[Enzo1]

Zero. Amtrak had some things in order to possibly make it happen, but the idea was dumped before it actually happening, so it will still be a while before that happens. Stay on the look out for a potential commuter line though. That is a more real possibility than Amtrak coming down here once more. Wikipedia article needs updating...... There is questions over enough ridership. I really don't think there is, and that's the true reason it was cut off in the first place. MPI Boise was almost killed by a similar situation. UTA's Frontrunner Commuter service to the SLC-Ogden Metropolis was going to be this big-hit in it's beginning phases. They placed a big order for MPI to build their well known MP36 locomotive. About 5 had been built and delivered to UTA when they came to MPI and said, we no longer want the units because of the expense and ridership issues. This killed MPI because they had all the parts in order to build a bunch of those suckers and now they couldn't sell any along with losing the money for them. UTA now has more of them, but it the area has grown substantially since those days. You have to justify the cost of doing something like that before actually doing it.