New Amtrak funding could include passenger rail improvements for Hoosiers

Earlier this month, Amtrak announced it submitted applications for more than $700 million in Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) funds. This money would go toward projects that would upgrade some of its long distance routes and expand services – including improvements to the Cardinal line, which runs through Indianapolis.

The Cardinal goes from Indianapolis to Chicago. However, it currently operates only three times a week – Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. It also starts in New York and goes through several other cities before reaching the Indianapolis to Chicago connection.

This funding would make the Cardinal service daily and would increase the train speeds to allow for faster travel.

Advocates said this increased funding could help Indiana have less crowded roads and travel more efficiently.

Amtrak has made efforts to increase railway service from Indianapolis to Chicago before.

The rail company released its “Amtrak Connects US” plan in 2021 – which included a route that would have four round trips daily from Louisville to Chicago. Cincinnati would also be offered as a connection along the route from Chicago to Indianapolis.

Amtrak is pushing for increased rail service over the course of the next 15 years, as a part of an expansion plan it released in 2021. The plan said it will expand these services which it said would be “better than car” due to 110-mile-per-hour speeds.

This will also provide Amtrak service to Louisville – which currently has no Amtrak stations.

Violet is our daily news reporter. Contact her at vcomberwilen@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @ComberWilen.

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