Rail Passengers Association - February 28, 2019
A second Amtrak train between Chicago and Minneapolis/ St. Paul could bring $25 million annually for the state of Minnesota, according to the Rail Passengers Association. This represents an economic return of eight- to ten- times Minnesota's annual net spending to support the potential new service, which is an estimated $2 to $3 million annually. In a review of an Amtrak feasibility study, Rail Passengers also found that the overall economic benefit for three states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois would be $47 million annually -- a return on investment of better than seven-to-one.