Newton could lose future Amtrak service.
That was the theme of a doom and gloom report Commissioner Barth Hague gave to the Newton City Commission on current actions of Amtrak.“I hope I’m wrong on all of this, I really do,” he said. “I hope my predictions are wrong and there’s a ‘Hail Mary’ on this.”
Hague has long been an advocate for rail service in Newton and was tasked with providing an update about bleak news coming from the Amtrak train company.
The crux of the issue, Hague explained was that Amtrak wants to receive $3 million from the states of Kansas, New Mexico and Colorado, annually for the upkeep of a line between Dodge City and Albuquerque, N.M..He said the organization also wants funding for additional safety checks or positive rail control to a stretch of line in New Mexico, allowing dispatchers to remotely stop a train in case of emergency.
“Amtrak’s new president is on record saying Amtrak will not operate without positive rail control,” he said.
Hague said that would mean a stretch of line being closed on Jan. 1 from Dodge City to Albuquerque.
The Southwest chief would connect that stretch by bus.
He noted there are also rumors that the company will cut dining service to the Southwest Chief, as well as ticket staff around the line.
“I’ve had two people contact me and ask if they should cancel their tickets,” he said. “I also canceled a reservation I had earlier, today.”
(Read more: Newton Now)