HUTCHINSON, Kan. — After providing nearly $40,000 in matching funds on three TIGER grants connected to Amtrak’s Southwest Chief, City Manager John Deardoff expressed disappointment in Amtrak’s plans to curtail service along the route:

 

 

Amtrak wants to eliminate train service between Dodge City and Albuquerque, and bus passengers between the two points. Deardoff says the city will continue to press federal legislators to keep the route intact:

 

Amtrak and BNSF threatened cities along the route that they would discontinue service if major upgrades were not made. Three major grants and a lot of track improvements were done at Amtrak’s request. The grants were matched with funds from cities and the state, including three $12,500 allocations from the city of Hutchinson.

Now under new leadership, Amtrak is wanting to step away from the efforts to keep the route in place. BNSF maintains the line, but Amtrak is the only train that runs on it from La Junta to Albuquerque.