David Voigts.

Currently, only two Amtrak passenger trains serve Iowans. The Southwestern Chief that goes from Chicago to Los Angeles just clips Iowa with one station in Fort Madison. The other train is the California Zephyr that passes through southern Iowa with stations in Mount Pleasant and a few other cities. In total, Amtrak carried over 54,000 Iowans last year, and studies have shown that more people would ride trains if more trains were available.

Now is the time to expand Amtrak’s network. Not only is the cost per passenger mile much less than the cost of traveling by automobile, the carbon dioxide emitted per passenger mile is much less than that emitted per passenger vehicle mile. This is important when we are trying to reduce our carbon emissions to reduce the effects of climate change.

Congress has acknowledged the need for more trains by allocating more than $40 billion for projects to expand the passenger rail network. The best way for Iowa to get a share of this money would be to join the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact. The Iowa House voted to do so last year. Now the Iowa Senate needs to do the same. Let’s get moving.

David Voigts is a retired ecologist and the current Conservation Chair for the Prairie Rapids Audubon Society. He is a Tama County native, graduating from Dinsdale High School, and lives in rural Jesup on his wife’s family farm.