Badger Rails
Wisconsin Association of
Railroad Passengers (WisARP)
Volume 28, Issue 3
State Looks for Best Station Sites for Madison Service
As plans for Milwaukee-Madison service continue
to move toward implementation, a key component
is the site location and construction of passenger
stations. In its application for funding, WisDOT
identified the following communities as stops for
the new service: Brookfield, Oconomowoc,
Watertown and Madison (the Milwaukee depot has
already been renovated). Approximately $24
million in federal funding has been set aside for
station facilities in these cities.
The State’s plans call for completion of stations in
each of the cities by the end of 2012. But before
then, there is much to do: determining the best sites;
environmental impacts; preliminary engineering;
and final construction.
John Oimoen, WisDOT’s Project Manager for the
Milwaukee-Madison project, told WisARP
members March 27 that the station process includes
input from local communities.
"We are asking all communities where stations are
proposed for to make sure there are local transit
options, buses, cabs, bicycle facilities, convenient
parking," Oimoen said. "Access to airports is also
important, we want that connectivity between all
transportation modes."
What follows are summaries of some of the latest
station developments:
Madison
The potential site for the State capital’s rail
passenger station has generated a great deal of
discussion for well over a decade. Supporters and
1 
May-June, 2010
detractors of Madison service, Milwaukee
Aldermen, Madison City Council members, all have
offered opinions on the station location.
The Wisconsin DOT announced April 16 that four
locations were officially in the running, the Dane
County Regional Airport, Monona Terrace, the
Kohl Center and a location at First Street and East
Washington Avenue known as Yahara Station.
DOT Executive Assistant Chris Klein told the
Wisconsin State Journal they would soon announce
a final site or sites where Washington-based
engineering firm CH2M Hill will conduct an
environmental study. Klein said Madison will have
only one station when service begins in 2013.
The State’s position, as determined by previous
studies, has been to locate the station at the Dane
County Airport, with transit access to downtown.
ProRail, WisARP’s Madison Chapter, agrees with
that position, citing: Existing transit access to the
Airport; its location relative to hotels, interstate
access, and parking; and the fact that the Airport is
just 12 minutes away from downtown. On April 20,
however, the Madison City Council formally
endorsed the three locations in the City for
consideration, opposed the Airport site, and asked
for more leverage in the decision. The State DOT,
however, will get the final say on the location.
Watertown
Watertown Mayor Ron Krueger detailed his
community’s station plans at the March 27 WisARP
meeting. Krueger said that WisDOT originally told
them to “think big” and include as many amenities
Continued on Page 2
Doyle Testifies at Congressional Hearing
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle spoke in support of
federal rail investments before a special meeting of
the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Railroads,
Pipelines and Hazardous Materials April 20 in
Chicago.
“The President’s initial investment of $8 billion is a
great start, and Congress also deserves a lot of
credit for appropriating an additional $2.5 billion,
Doyle said. “These funds set our country in the right
direction, providing a path for economic gains and
opportunities to continue developing a strong high
speed rail network.
Doyle said that Washington made the right decision
to direct $823 million to Wisconsin services.
“Wisconsin has a proven record of success when it
comes to passenger rail. This opportunity allows us
to build on these successes," Doyle said. "Our
current Hiawatha service between Milwaukee and
Chicago is the most heavily used Amtrak line
outside of either coast.”
Doyle said that Wisconsin is working closely with
the Federal Railroad Administration, Amtrak and
other state, local and regional partners to ensure that
the rail projects are completed on time. Doyle met
April 15 in Milwaukee with Federal Railroad
Administrator Joe Szabo, Amtrak CEO Joe
Boardman and Amtrak’s Chairman of the Board
Thomas Carper to discuss the positive status of the
rail projects and iron out final FRA approvals for
the funding package.
“When complete, Wisconsin’s projects will be a
shining example of the future of high speed intercity
passenger rail in our country,” Doyle said.
Comments by the Congressmen present at the
hearing were largely partisan, with Republican
representatives critical of the high sped rail stimulus
spending, particularly of plans for 110 mph service
between Chicago and St. Louis as an incremental
step toward higher-speed service. Transportation
Committee Chairman James Oberstar, a Minnesota
Democrat, said the criticisms show “a shallow
appreciation of a complex issue."
2 
Stations from Page 1
as possible in the structure. They came up with a
$33 million development located at 607 S. Church
St., south of the tracks along the Rock River at a
site formerly occupied by a grocery store.
When the grants were awarded, reality set in.
Krueger said that the State awarded the city $5
million for the station, and the city in turn has been
looking for additional grants from other sources to
preserve as much as possible from their original
plans. He said that an unstaffed structure similar to
the Milwaukee Airport Rail Station could be built
for under $5 million if necessary.
The station site will be linked to downtown, about
five blocks away, via a pedestrian riverwalk
connection.
Krueger said that ground was recently broken on a
54-unit senior housing development just four blocks
from the proposed depot site.
"The phone has been ringing off the hook from
older citizens who like the idea of a depot just four
blocks away," he said. “It's just amazing the
response we've had."
Oconomowoc
Oconomowoc Mayor Maury Sullivan told WisARP
members March 27 that the City has identified two
options for the site of their station (Editor’s Note:
Mr. Sullivan was unsuccessful in his reelection bid
April 6).
Sullivan said they were advised to plan for a 2500-
sq.-foot station with 600 foot platforms and parking
for 130 automobiles. Platform access would be via
overhead walkways. He said one of the possible
sites is east and one west of Main Street.
The proposed Oconomowoc station will be located
downtown within the business district and near
community services offices. The station location is
within walking distance to the downtown waterfront
and entertainment district.
“What we’re planning is to have a transit oriented
Continued on Page 7
 Rail Will Serve Madison Better than Buses
Commentary by ProRail
When someone suggests to you that we don't need
high-speed rail between Madison and Milwaukee
because people can just take the bus, ask them
which they'd choose for their intercity travel:
A) A Greyhound bus stop only on a city street or a
Badger Bus from a Madison gas station, with no
parking or rental car facilities? Or
B) A new train station that protects from the
weather, has parking, train status boards, and
other amenities? And, if located at the airport,
waiting taxis, rental car agencies, and access by
a connecting parking ramp offering covered
parking to airport terminal amenities?
And would they also take the bus, especially with
luggage and/or friends or family, if they were
connecting in Milwaukee with Amtrak for trips to
Chicago or any of 1,000 other rail-accessible
locations in North America?
This is not intended as a knock against buses.
ProRail members and friends include bus riders,
too. In fact, Amtrak recognizes the importance of
buses as a feeder for its passengers, through a fleet
of contracted Amtrak Thruway buses.
Madison also is fortunate to have the excellent
service offered by Badger Bus. Over the years, it
also has been a way for Amtrak riders to make
connections from and to Madison at Milwaukee.
And Greyhound offers service to 2,400 destinations
(although the number has been declining) around
the U.S.
Buses have their customers and provide a service to
a segment of the travel market, just as passenger
trains do.
In Madison, Greyhound bus has just switched its
service from a temporary "bare bones" office on the
far east side off any city bus route to a street-only
pickup point 12 blocks east of the Capitol. That is
its second temporary location in Madison in the last
six months. What's next? Unclear. WisDOT's
3 
plans for a train station at the Dane County Airport
allow for intercity bus service to operate from there,
connecting with air and rail. That would make for
an active intermodal facility.
Badger Bus already has established its Madison
location -- described as permanent -- at a gas station
across the street from its former now-demolished
depot. Its Milwaukee station also is up for sale.
Will it join Amtrak, Greyhound, and four other bus
companies (and one more stopping just down the
street), at the new Intermodal Station in
Milwaukee? Unclear.
(One of the frustrations for passenger rail users is
that some of those Madison-Milwaukee train
opponents who are quick to suggest others "take a
bus" would never, or only rarely, take a bus
themselves. Nor would they offer to let you
determine how they should travel. But to be sure of
that, why not ask them?)
This is not just an issue relevant to Madison -- or
Milwaukee -- residents. What about those living in
Portage, Watertown, Brookfield, and Oconomowoc
-- Wisconsin cities now scheduled to get passenger
train service but which are not on either the Badger
Bus or Greyhound routes? What's the answer for
them?
Our suggestions:
-- Make sure those who say a bus can replace a train
between Madison and Milwaukee know why they
really can't, for the reasons we explain here.
--And make sure they understand Madison-
Milwaukee is only a short leg of a much longer
Chicago-Twin Cities route that will feed a nine-
state Midwest Regional rail network being built and
connecting with trains to 1,000 other locations.
That lack of understanding seems to be behind a lot
of the misunderstandings and confusion about the
new service.
( ProRail is WisARP’s Madison Chapter. For more
information, see their website: http://prorail.com/ or
Twitter site: http://twitter.com/railmatters )
 More News from the March 6 Amtrak/Trains Forum
By Robert Fisher, WisARP Secretary
Continued from our last issue, this is a summary of
the Trains Forum held in Chicago.
Just before the lunch break the Amtrak Marketing
folks showed some new Amtrak TV commercials,
including a series of Spanish language spots aimed
at the Hispanic market in the Southwest. One
commercial that drew appreciative snickers was one
showing a traveler settling into an Amtrak seat,
while the sound bite made subtle comparisons to the
crowded space on “other transportation modes”,
then the traveler reclined while the voice over noted
the traveler in the seat behind didn’t have his tray
jammed into his chest, and finally as the traveler
relaxed by taking off his shoes, the narrator noted
“On Amtrak you only have to take your shoes off if
you want to take them off”.
Amtrak Fleet Strategy Chris Jagodzinski, Senior
Director, System Operations, Wilmington,
Delaware, spoke next. Chris (I’ll refer to him as
Chris for obvious reasons) brought along a “Golly
Gee Whiz” prop, which was a computer link to the
map showing the real time location of all Amtrak
locomotives at 1:15 PM on March 6th. The GIS
transmitters on each locomotive showed gallons of
fuel on board, consumption rate, any major diesel
engine or electric motor problems, and, if moving,
the speed. While that may have been a fun way to
play on Saturday afternoon, we had other things to
learn.
Chris explained the fleet plan is intended to:
Provide a framework to replace an aging fleet with
modern equipment, schedule buying of equipment
in a manner that will develop and sustain a viable
North American car building industry, and time the
entry of cars into the fleet to allow “debugging” of
small numbers as they enter the fleet. The plan will
also establish guidelines for the commercial life of
the equipment, and to be adjustable as the numbers
of cars needed is refined over the years of the plan.
Chris showed a chart of diesel locomotive average
annual mileage. Amtrak locomotives rack up
160,465 miles a year; 80,000 miles more than the
next railroad, BNSF, and compared to KCS’s
4 
relative short trips of 46,996 miles per year.
Similarly he showed a chart that shows the average
miles per year Amtrak cars run. The Superliner I
and II cars put on about 190,000 miles per year,
while the Surfliner cars “loaf along” with only
138,000 miles per year. The nearest commuter car
mileage is shown by TriRail (Miami area) with
68,000 miles per car per year. Chicago’s Metra
puts only 36,000 miles a year on its cars. Chris’s
point is that Amtrak gets far more mileage
utilization out of both its locomotives and cars than
any other U.S. railroad or commuter rail service.
The F-59 and P-42 locomotives are relatively
young, between 11 and 16 years, but the average car
age is actually older now than was the fleet age
when Amtrak inherited its “mismatched” fleet from
the freight railroads in 1971. The Acela cars are the
babies of the fleet, with only 9-10 years on them.
The Superliner IIs are 13-15 years old, and
Superliner Is are even older at 28-30 years. Folks
riding in Amfleet cars on the Hiawathas could be in
equipment that is more than 30 years old. The
Heritage dining and baggage cars are of unknown
age, going back before the creation of Amtrak.
Chris noted one of Amtrak’s car problems is the
lack of homogeneity. There are so many equipment
classes, and difference between short and long
distance equipment that routine maintenance
standards are hard to establish. He also noted the
lack of a viable car building and parts supply base is
a problem. He stressed that one of the Fleet Plan’s
goals is to reestablish a long term viable car
building industry. Chris hopes the Plan will not
only move Amtrak away from 60 year old
equipment, but also will establish a useful life for
various types of equipment. He felt up to 40 years
could be a “useful” life for cars, and 30 for engines,
but then he addressed the issue of commercial life,
which is shorter, and is the period during which
equipment is maintainable and technically viable,
and commercially attractive to the public.
Over the course of the Fleet Plan ridership will be
modeled and future car types will be adjusted. The
Continued on P. 5
Amtrak Forum (From Page 4)
Plan allows for a 2% ridership growth on the
existing services, but allows for order increases as
new corridors are developed, or larger than
anticipated growth occurs on existing services. He
noted between 2012 and 2023, the Plan calls for 780
new single level cars of all types, and 420 bilevel
cars. A total of about 460 locomotives of all types
will be ordered also. By 2040 he anticipates the
available fleet will be doubled, and made
considerably “younger”, and a viable rail car
building industry will be reestablished in America.
In response to specific questions from the audience
Chris explained two equipment orders are actually
“on the street,” with 20 electric locomotives and
130 cars including 25 low level diners, 15 sleepers,
and 35 baggage/dorms. He offered apologies for
the winter problems with the Empire Builder this
season. He noted a task force is examining the
toilet freezing issue, and said refurbished cars
coming out of Beech Grove shops have improved
insulation on the plumbing lines. He also noted that
the brake lines get too much water in them, and
freeze during very cold weather. Part of the Fleet
Plan allows for standby cars to be spotted along
long distance routes as emergency fill-ins if needed.
He explained that Metra commuter cars and Amtrak
cars are not interchangeable on the Hiawathas. In
response to a question regarding replacement of the
Horizon cars, Chris noted these short haul cars are
not scheduled for replacement. Amtrak CEO
Boardman interjected at this point that the states
must take a role in supporting the corridor services
in which this type of car is suited. On the long
distance side of service Mr. Boardman noted that
some type of true vista dome is being considered
and dining cars with real chefs will be instituted as
service is upgraded. He noted that Amtrak is
America’s railroad, and different cars and trains can
have different brands. Mr. Boardman strongly
stated that he wants Amtrak to follow up and
actually do everything it promises, rather than agree
to a bunch of new routes and services and then
never delivering.
There was a complaint about the lack of checked
baggage service on any of the Michigan service
5 
trains. These trains lack a baggage car, unstaffed
stations, and no crew office space on the trains. A
“horror story” was told of the crew occupying 3 of
the 5 tables in the Business Class car on the
Wolverine. CEO Boardman agreed this is not good,
and noted they are making more use of the
“cabbage” cars (old locomotives with the engine
removed). They are also working on solutions to
the lack of checked baggage service on the
Cardinal. It was noted that Business Class space on
the Michigan service will be increased. Mr.
Boardman noted that New York has been getting
“free” corridor service, but PRIIA (Passenger Rail
Investment and Improvement Act) requires all states
to participate financially in the corridor trains that
serve them. He noted that New York will have to
start supporting this service. Crew bases, union
agreements etc. are all being reviewed.
Long Distance Service: Preparing for the Future
The presentation of Emmett Fremaux, Vice
President, Marketing and Product Development,
continued the questions already raised about long
distance trains, and additional service on routes
already served by at least one train. He stressed that
long distance trains are fundamental to Amtrak’s
mission and future. He pointed out the role and
significance of long distance trains, but noted that
PRIIA imposed a mandate for Performance
Improvement Plans for each train. Overall he noted
that Long Distance train carry 15% of all Amtrak
riders and account for 24% of revenue. In
passenger miles, long distance trains contribute
44% to Amtrak’s total and make up 39% of all train
miles. In all cases the remaining data is about
equally split between the Northeast Corridor and the
state short distance corridors. Between FY06 and
into FY10, Long distance ticket revenue has
increased from approx. $360M to $425M. End
Point On-Time Performance and Customer
Satisfaction Indicators have also increased each
year over that time period, and are running high into
FY10 to date.
Route Performance Improvements (RPI) began in
2008. The routes undergoing this process in FY08-
Continued on Page 6
Amtrak Forum (From Page 5)
FY09 were: City of New Orleans; Coast Starlight;
Auto Train; Crescent; Lake Shore Limited.; and
Empire Builder.
On the Lake Shore, full service Heritage dining cars
were returned, and menus with regionalized choices
and higher quality were implemented. The schedule
was adjusted to leave Chicago one hour earlier, and
thereby make an earlier arrival in New York. The
Boston sleeper was also returned.
On the Coast Starlight the Pacific Parlour Cars were
returned after refurbishing with a movie theater,
new HVAC, and expresso coffee bar, the Parlour
Car attendant was returned, and arcade car was
added for coach passengers, sleeping car passengers
receive a welcome aboard reception and an amenity
kit. China and linens were returned to the dining
car.
Mr. Fremaux divided the long distance trains into
three groups based on their overall performance.
This includes fare box profitability, on-time
performance, and customer satisfaction index.
The top five performers are Auto Train, Empire
Builder, Southwest Chief, City of New Orleans, and
Coast Starlight. The middle five are the Silver
Meteor, Crescent, Palmetto, Lake Shore Limited,
and Silver Star. The bottom-ranked trains in those
criteria mentioned are the Cardinal, California
Zephyr, Texas Eagle, Capitol Limited, and Sunset
Limited.
Efforts to devise a workable plan for extension of
the Sunset Ltd., or a similar train, between New
Orleans and Florida continue to be examined. It
appears running the Sunset daily between Los
Angles and San Antonio, then on to Dallas, Little
Rock, St. Louis and Chicago has been studied, and
running a corridor train from San Antonio to New
Orleans. The New Orleans-Jacksonville or Orlando
would be a separate train, with a car or two from the
Los Angeles-San Antonio-St. Louis-Chicago and
San Antonio-Chicago trains. Mr. Fremaux stated
Amtrak would start a New Orleans-Florida train
now, but Congress would have to provide the funds
6 
to operate it. In miscellaneous discussion he told of
the almost constant shuffling of cars between trains
trying to match the balance of passengers and
equipment. He said cars being refurbished have
released 5 sleepers, 4 diners, and 1 lounge to the
Capitol Limited. One additional locomotive has
also been released to the general pool. He stressed
Mr. Boardman’s policy to keep a cushion of
equipment so existing service has a bit of breathing
space, rather than commit every car to dedicated
service, and have nothing in reserve.
In the general question and answer session there
was a discussion of expansion of corridor vs. long
distance routes. States must pay their share for
corridor service, and if states pay, Amtrak will
respond, but this does not discount the importance
of long distance service. Amtrak recognizes
Cleveland is served by two trains each way, but
both in the middle of the night. They would like an
alternate day service for Cleveland, but it is hard to
do. They have also considered Chicago-Florida.
Currently equipment and stations are obstacles, but
it is being looked at, possibly Chicago-New
Orleans-Orlando, but also there is interest in
including Chicago-Atlanta. In response to questions
about employee rudeness or at least less than fully
helpfulness, CEO Boardman said there was a
“culture of blame” in the country wherein people
don’t want to answer a question for fear if they are
wrong, or the decision is “wrong” they will be
blamed. This applies not only to direct customer
service personnel but managers up the line. He
agreed there have been a lot of Amtrak presidents
over the last 10 years, and he hopes to stop the
“blame culture” and give employees the authority to
make appropriate decisions.
Your WisARP Secretary asked Mr. Boardman how
he would handle corridor service that passed
through a state, to reach another state, but the
“middle state” refused to support the service. This
was a deliberate reference to Indiana, which has
been unwilling to support Illinois-Michigan end
point service across its middle mileage. Mr.
Boardman said he would follow the law. He would
run the service and bill the state.

Badger Rails is published 6 times per year by the
Wisconsin Association of Railroad Passengers, a
not-for-profit Wisconsin membership association.
WisARP President is John Parkyn, Stoddard, WI,
(608)788-7004, email: jdp@dairynet.com
Badger Rails Editor is Jim Sponholz. Please send
comments or news items to:
badgerrails@gmail.com
Please send membership renewals ($15 per year)
and address changes to: Mark Weitenbeck, 3385
S. 119th Street, West Allis, WI 53227
email: weitenbeck@sbcglobal.net
WisARP on the Web: www.wisarp.org
From the Editor
My thanks to members who have submitted story
ideas and news items for this issue, including Mark
Weitenbeck, Bob Fisher, Dave Rasmussen, Charles
Rumsey and Mike McCoy.
- Jim Sponholz, Editor
News in Brief
The Amtrak summer timetable goes into effect May
10, 2010. There are no changes to the Hiawatha
Corridor or Empire Builder schedules.
Amtrak train #339 derailed at low speed east of the
Milwaukee Depot April 27, 2010. There were no
injuries, and passengers for train #342 were bused
to Chicago. Schedules returned to normal the
following day.
North Dakota’s Congressional delegation was
working with Amtrak to preserve Empire Builder
service through Grand Forks, Devils Lake and
Rugby due to a bridge endangered by rising waters
at Devil’s Lake. The delegation wanted Amtrak to
commit to a contingency plan that wouldn’t leave
those communities without service should the
bridge be taken out of service. The Grand Forks
Herald said April 27 that the delegation would push
for federal funding to enable a long term solution to
the bridge problem.
7 
Stations from Page 2
Development around the rail station to foster
pedestrian-friendly development,” Sullivan said.
“We’re planning for denser, multi-family housing
around the station over the next 20 years.”
This philosophy is evident in the City’s recently-
developed Downtown Waterfront Master Plan that
will provide for a pedestrian friendly environment
and public space along the waterfront (the
downtown fronts on Fowler Lake and Lac La
Belle). The Waukesha Metro bus service 904/905
(operated by Wisconsin Coach Line) is provided
along Summit and Wisconsin Avenues in
downtown Oconomowoc.
“The passenger stop is an integral part of our
downtown community economic plan,” Sullivan
said.
Brookfield
The proposed station in the City of Brookfield will
be located in the historic center of the community at
2846 N. Brookfield Road. Plans are for it to include
300 parking stalls and overhead access to the
platforms.
Brookfield has developed an area plan that
establishes policies to create a walkable, pedestrian
friendly business and residential district
surrounding the train station. The new station would
be close to the historic Milwaukee Road train depot,
which will be used as a trail head for the regional
bicycle trail system that connects with the
communities’ sidewalk system. Bicycle storage will
be provided at the train station.
The high speed rail station will be designed to
accommodate transit buses. The City is planning to
extend a Waukesha Metro transit route to the
station. This route will connect the station to the
City of Waukesha, other Waukesha Metro routes,
Milwaukee County Transit System routes, and
commuter and intercity motorcoach buses at the
park-and-ride facility at Goerkes Corners.
Brookfield anticipates the station could lead to $30
million in increased property values in the area.
 Wisconsin Association of
Railroad Passengers
(WisARP)
 

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