By Steve Bell
Kansas City, MO – The Missouri Department of Transportation wants the legislature to spend $10.6 million to add sidings along the tracks it leases for Amtrak. MoDOT Railroad Administrator Rod Massman explained the problem.
According to Massman, "In Missouri in a given day, on that corridor, there's between 50 and 60 freight trains in addition to Amtrak trains all running on there at the same time."
Massman says Amtrak trains get as much as two hours behind schedule waiting on sidings for a freight train to pass. He says Missouri needs to improve Amtrak to keep up with other states, to maintain a balanced transportation, and because of the number of elderly and disabled persons and students who depend on Amtrak.