Oregon Public Broadcasting

Senator Ron Wyden’s office Friday released a draft report from Amtrak with some good news for Oregon.

Wyden, and Idaho Republican Senator Mike Crapo, both asked Amtrak to study reopening a shuttered Amtrak line between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Northwest.

Central Oregon correspondent Ethan Lindsey reports.

Amtrak makes no specific recommendations about restoring the Pioneer Route. But the study estimates about 100,000 passengers per year would ride the train.

And yet, restoring the service could cost Amtrak $30 million – with startup costs that exceed $400 million.

The restored route is strongly backed by local leaders and businesses in Pendleton, La Grande and Baker City.

Barbara Sidway owns the classic Geiser Grand Hotel in Baker.

Barbara Sidway: “It would provide access, in a sustainable, low-impact way, for Baker City to other areas. You know, that’s how guests originally came to the Geiser Grand. We have photographs of vintage buses, little shuttle buses, that would run from the train station, back and forth.”

Last year, Congress ordered Amtrak to study restoring the Pioneer Route.

The study notes that $8 billion in stimulus funds have been made available to funding new rail service.