HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson City officials say they will not be attending a meeting in Dodge City that includes 
officials from BNSF Railway and Amtrak regarding the SW Chief. But City Manager John Deardoff, and Jason Ball of the Chamber of Commerce, are expected to meet with Amtrak CEO Joe Boardman when a special train stops in Hutchinson Friday morning.
Amtrak is conducting the whistle stop along the route, which will include a short stop in Hutchinson. The stop comes ahead of a meeting in Dodge City to discuss the future of the long distance passenger train route. Amtrak and BNSF Railway continue to look for funding for renovation and upkeep of the current SW Chief line through western Kansas, southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico.
The two companies say they will move the Chief to BNSF’s southern trans con route if the funding isn’t made available, cutiing off service to Hutchinson, Dodge City and Garden City.