Amtrak rail expansion in the cheese state, and I made it home safe!
Hiawatha to Madison: 2030s Is the Target
Amtrak has announced a timeline for the long-anticipated Madison extension to its Hiawatha service. Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the agency aims to start the line “as early in the 2030s as possible.”
The Hiawatha is a state-supported route, with Wisconsin and Illinois DOTs sharing some operating costs and having significant input on fares, equipment, and service levels. The plan extends the existing Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha route further west, adding new stops in Pewaukee, Watertown, and downtown Madison, starting with twice-daily service. Estimated travel times are about 1 hour and 48 minutes from Madison to Milwaukee and roughly 3 hours and 18 minutes from Madison to Chicago.
Some of these new stops could also create connections to the Borealis and Empire Builder, providing riders in Pewaukee, Watertown, and Madison with access to the wider Amtrak network.
There are significant considerations. Magliari noted it’s too early to estimate how much federal funding will be required or which railroad improvements will be needed. The project still needs to go through public outreach, FRA approval of stop locations, preliminary engineering, and environmental review.
Currently, Amtrak is evaluating stop locations with local and state partners. Madison is considering a site along Lake Monona and John Nolen Drive near the Capitol Square, with a secondary option near the Madison Public Market. In Pewaukee, the proposal includes a new platform and 65 parking spaces along Marjean Lane.
For Wisconsin readers, understanding the background is crucial. In 2011, Gov. Scott Walker declined an $810 million federal grant that would have funded the Milwaukee-to-Madison line and covered $99 million in upgrades to the existing Hiawatha. Wisconsin later settled with Talgo, the Spanish manufacturer that assembled the trainsets at a Milwaukee facility, costing taxpayers $59 million, while Talgo kept the trains. Those trainsets eventually went to Nigeria.
The ironic footnote: Talgo never actually left Milwaukee. The company transformed its Century City facility into a rail refurbishment shop, securing contracts to rebuild commuter cars for transit agencies on the West Coast, giving passengers in other states what Wisconsin riders never got. If you ever see LA Metro cars on the Hiawatha, Borealis, or sitting at Milwaukee’s Intermodal Station, that’s why.
This project will also involve negotiations with Wisconsin & Southern Railroad, the Class II freight railroad that operates the state-owned track around Madison. Amtrak currently runs on CPKC's tracks between Rondout, IL, and Milwaukee, and recent infrastructure upgrades on that corridor, including the Muskego Yard Bypass project, have helped lay the foundation for expanded service.
A Chicago-bound Hiawatha in Sturtevant, Wisconsin
What is Kev Up To?
Last week, I took my mom to Florida to help my sister with the kids while my brother-in-law was away. The trip down went smoothly, as I mentioned last week, but the trip back home was a bit more eventful.
I don't use rideshares often, only when travel requires it, but I scheduled a Lyft for 3:45 a.m., and it worked out great. The driver arrived early, which was helpful for everyone, including my sister, who had gotten up to make sure my ride showed (she was my backup plan). She was able to go back to bed a little sooner than expected.
The flight to Chicago went smoothly. We were actually ahead of schedule, which felt like a win. We avoided a storm but then got stuck on the ground during an air-traffic hold because planes were briefly grounded system-wide. What started as an early arrival ended with us sitting on the plane for an hour before we could deplane.
I've been stuck on delayed Amtrak trains many times, and I have to say, it's a much more tolerable experience. You have more space, you can actually get up and walk around, and nobody's making you stay buckled in your seat.
I took Amtrak home and made it on time, but I didn't get much chance to relax or grab food or a drink. Still, it was nice to enjoy a train ride in the end, after everything.
Thank You!
I want to sincerely thank Rebecca M and Dennis K for hitting the donate button below! It helps keep everything on track. I also want to thank another Wisconsinite, Al R, who tipped via PayPal; he and his granddaughter have an exciting trip planned.
If you're interested in helping me continue, you can click the green button below, visit my support page for more options, or join my Patreon!
Until Next Week!
Safe travels & Happy Planning, Kev Monteith
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