The end of the Amtrak Hoosier State passenger rail got a 30-day reprieve, and a deal to save the four-day-a-week service might still be within reach.
Last week, Indiana Department of Transportation announced the rail service would end April 1, but Friday, INDOT announced the extension, meaning the rail line from Indianapolis to Chicago continues through next month.
Officially, INDOT said the announcement Friday followed a phone call between officials from the Federal Railroad Administration and INDOT Commissioner Karl Browning. During the conversation, Sarah Feinberg, acting commissioner for the railroad administration, indicated the federal agency would reconsider the position that would force the end of the Hoosier State passenger line, according to INDOT.
State Rep. Randy Truitt, R-West Lafayette, said, “They (railroad administrators) gave their commitment that they are willing to review it.”
Unofficially, the announced review of the Federal Railroad Administration’s ruling is likely the result of pressure from state and U.S. officials, Truitt said, noting they’ve received support from Indiana’s congressional representatives and senators.
It is the latest twist in a seven-year drama to keep the trains running.