Amtrak’s Hoosier State made a final stop this year, ending daily passenger train service in Crawfordsville.
“It puts visiting the largest urban area in our region out of reach for people who can’t drive, and that seems fundamentally unfair,” said regular Amtrak passenger Paul Utterback, who joined other local rail advocates on the platform to watch the train leave one last time for Chicago.
The train stopped running in June after state lawmakers, acting on Gov. Eric Holcomb’s recommendation, voted to pull the route’s funding. Holcomb cited declining ridership numbers.
States are responsible for funding shorter Amtrak routes. The Indiana Department of Transportation said no discretionary funding was available to keep the service alive.
Local passengers can still ride to Chicago three days a week on Amtrak’s Cardinal train, which is funded by the federal government. But daily train service to major cities was a selling point for smaller communities attracting new jobs.
“Once you do away this,” Crawfordsville Mayor Todd Barton said of the Hoosier State, “it’s very, very difficult to bring it back.”
Indiana first gained control of the Hoosier State line in 2013 and kept the service going through short-term contract extensions.
Iowa Pacific operated the line from 2015 to 2017, a period that saw an increase in riders along with full-service dining, on-board Wi-Fi and business class service.
On days the Cardinal train is not operating, daily buses run to and from Amtrak stations in Indianapolis, Lafayette and Chicago.
In other transportation news, a citizen-led bicycle and pedestrian council formed to review Crawfordsville’s bike and skateboard ordinance and promote safety.
Bike arrows were painted on Main Street, leading bicycles through town toward the city’s trail system.
Motorists must stay about six feet behind a cyclist on the roadway and allow for three feet of space when passing a cyclist.
