HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Amtrak line serving Kansas will stay intact for the near future. The announcement came during a hearing on Positive Train Control, which Amtrak stated it would not run on, and includes several portions of the Chief’s route.

During questioning by Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran, Amtrak said it would run the full route instead of busing passengers between Dodge City and Albuquerque. Moran also stressed the need for Amtrak to provide the $3 million in matching funds for the recent Tiger Grant obtained by the state of New Mexico to continue another phase of track improvements:

 

On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate passed a transportation appropriations bill with an amendment that includes $50 million in funds for track maintenance and safety improvements on the Chief’s route and compels Amtrak to stick to its commitment of providing matching funds.

Senators Moran and Tom Udall of New Mexico introduced the bipartisan amendment to keep the train running the entire route.

Kansas, New Mexico and Colorado have acquired three Tiger grants totaling more than $43 million to make the needed improvements to the line owned by BNSF but operated by Amtrak only. Amtrak provided $4 million in each of the first two grants.