Dan Bucks of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority gave a presentation last week to residents and the Mineral County Economic Committee, providing an update on the rail authority and sharing a new addition intended to strengthen the case for the return of passenger rail service to Montana’s southern route.

Bucks began with a recap of the authority's accomplishments during its early years and how the project began as an effort to expand passenger rail service along the historic southern route from Chicago to Seattle.

“It’s a new program created in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” he said. “There were 69 routes selected, ranging from 72 miles long to a few hundred miles for most of them. The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority was the only long-distance route of all those selected, which was an incredible accomplishment for the authority. This was announced in December 2023, just three years after BSPRA was created.”

The proposed route spans more than 750 miles and is the only one sponsored by an organization as young as the authority. The other 68 routes were sponsored by organizations that have existed for roughly 40 to 150 years. 

“We are not just talking about developing a passenger rail system along a set of tracks that stops at stations,” Bucks said. “We are doing more than that by creating connecting services to destinations and communities beyond the route. This is something that has not been done quite the same way before. There are connecting routes elsewhere, but they tend to run from one big city to another. We want to make sure, as best we can, that rural communities and tribal areas within reach of the route can all benefit from what we call a Corridor of Opportunity.”

Bucks also described several features envisioned for the modern rail system, including continuous Wi-Fi connectivity to allow passengers to work while traveling. The trains themselves would reflect 21st century technology, offering more service options, greater capacity and advanced propulsion systems. He also discussed the potential for localized small-parcel delivery, creating a combination of high-performance freight and passenger rail with the goal of long-term financial viability.

During the PowerPoint presentation, Bucks spent additional time explaining a newer concept being considered as part of the broader plan: commuter rail service. 

“This is a type of train that doesn’t require a roundhouse to turn around,” Bucks explained. “When the train comes into, let’s say Paradise, and needs to go back the other way, the engineer simply walks to the other end of the train where there is an identical control unit for forward propulsion in that direction. It’s similar to how subways operate in cities. This is the kind of 21st century technology we are looking at for funding as develop connecting services that are vital to the route.”

State Sen. Denley Loge and Rep. Curtis Cochran, both serving on the Montana Transportation Interim Committee, were also in attendance. They announced that the public survey for the SJ19 study on public transportation is now live and accepting responses. Several of the survey’s questions relate directly to passenger rail, which could help inform future funding decisions. The survey link is surveymonkey.com/r/VSYDGX6.

A question was raised about who would pay for train depots along the route. Bucks explained that several philanthropic organizations could help fund depot construction. 

“Another option,” he said, “is for a municipality or a developer to build the depot with space for retail, restaurants and other services that can serve both passengers and the local community.” 

When the topic of a potential commuter rail line from Missoula into the Bitterroot Valley came up, Bucks smiled. 

“Well, it takes two to dance,” he said. “They haven’t approached us. To make any route viable, it requires strong community interest and support. But we’re here if they would like to brainstorm.”

Mineral County BSPRA Director Diane Magone noted that the region could benefit significantly from the expanded service. 

“We are poised to be in a terrific position with passenger train service twice daily,” Magone said. “And with what Dan (Bucks) just shared about the possibility of a commuter train running from Polson to Dixon to St. Regis to Missoula in a large loop, that adds another dimension that is new to this transportation plan.”

Bucks also emphasized the region’s economic and tourism potential. 

“This region is rich with natural resources,” he said. “There are probably even more strengths and assets here that I don’t know about because I don’t live here. But you have the rivers, the mountains, the Hiawatha Trail and Lookout Pass. Fishing, hunting, the Alberton Gorge. ATV trails and miles and miles of US Forest Service roads to explore. There are abundant resources here with strong tourism interest, and you know that.” 

While the primary goal remains restoring passenger rail service along Montana’s southern route, Bucks said the commuter rail concept could become an important complementary system serving Lake, Sanders, Missoula and Mineral counties, as well as the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. 

“You can start looking at commuter rail as a supplement to the main rail lines,” he said, “developed alongside this project.” Information on the progress and goals of the BSPRA is available at www.bigskyrailmt.gov